UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA   SAN  OIEGO 


3  1822  02686  8927 


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UNIVERSITY  OF 
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SAN  DIEGO 


3  1822  02686  8927 


Social  Sciences  &  Humanities  Library 

University  of  California,  San  Diego 
Please  Note:  This  item  is  subject  to  recall. 

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CLbAKi:!^  a 

X. 

CI  39  (5/97)                                                                         UCSD  Lib. 

By  Permission  of  Henry  W.  Savage. 


DR.    MILLAR  : 


WHAT  AX   IDEAL  COUPLE  TOU  TWO  WOULD 

MAKE."— Page  56. 


THE  DEVIL 

A  TRAGEDY  OF  THE  HEART 
AND  CONSCIENCE 


Novelized  by  Joseph  O^Brien  from 
Henry  W.  Savage's  great  play 


BT 

FERENC  MOLNAR 


NEW  YORK 

J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

57  ROSE  STREET 


Copyright,  1908,  by 
American-J  ottrn  Aii-Ex  ami  web. 


Copyright,  1908,  by 
J.  S.  Ogilvie  Publishing  CompanYo 


FOREWORD 

There  is  a  great  lesson  for  all  women  and  men 
in  this  wonderful  story.  It  is  one  that  will  im- 
press with  its  power.  But  I  am  glad  to  say 
that  I  do  not  believe  fully  in  its  truth.  The 
Devil  here  wins  liis  victory,  as  he  has  won  many. 
But  each  year,  as  men  and  women  get  better, 
the  victories  of  Satan  are  fewer.  Good  men  and 
good  women  fight  against  evil  and  do  not  yield. 

This  tragic,  heart-breaking  story,  by  the 
wonderful  new  writer,  tells  one  side  of  the  bat- 
tle between  good  and  evil  that  goes  on  in  every 
human  heart.  It  has  its  lesson  for  all  men  and 
women. 

It  is  a  powerful  warning  against  playing  with 
fire.  Its  lesson,  taught  in  the  downfall  of  the 
man  and  woman,  is  "Keep  away  from  evil,  and 
the  appearance  of  evil." 

Beatrice  Fairfax. 


THE  CHARACTERS 

Karl  Mahler An  Artist 

Heinrich His  Valet 

Mimi His  Model 

Herman  Hofmann A  Banker 

Olga  Hofmann The  Banker's  Wife 

The  Devil Calling  Himself  Dr.  Millar 

Elsa  Berg An  Heiress 

The  scenes  are  laid  in  Vienna,  Austria, 
in  Karl  Mahler's  studio,  and  in  the  conserv- 
atory reception-room  at  the  Hofmanns',  and 
all  the  events  transpire  within  the  space  of 
one  day. 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS- 


PAGE. 

Dk.  Mitj^ar:    "What  an  Ideal  Couple  You 

Two  Would  Make  "      -         -  Frontispiece 


MiMi:   "Tou  Do  Not  Love  Me;  You  Have 

Ceased  to  Care  for  Me  "    -        -        -      16 

"  Call  Me  Dr.  Millar.    My  Social  Position 

IS  Beyond  Question  "  -        -        -        -      40 

"The  Art  Dealer,"    He  said  Sarcastically      70 

"They  Seem  to  be  Growing  Fond  of  Each 

Other,"  Olga  said  Jealously       -        -     108 

"Let  Only  Your  Bare  Neck  Show  Above 
Your  Cloak,  and  the  Tips  of  Your 
Shoes  Beneath  It"      -        -        -        -     115 

"I  Have  Begun  This,  Let  Me  Finish  It. 

Let  Me  Dictate  This  Letter  "  -        -     136 

"I  Wanted  to  Feel  That  You  Loved  Me 

as  I  Hoped  You  Did"         -        -        -     173 


Note: — The  illustrations  used  in  this  book  are  reproduced 
from  scenes  in  Henry  W.  Savage's  production  of  '•  The  Devil," 
the  only  version  approved  by  the  author. 


THE  DEVIL 


CHAPTER  I 

Herman  Hofmann,  the  wealthy  banker, 
and  his  beautiful  young  wife,  Olga,  had  as 
their  guest  at  dinner  Karl  Mahler,  an 
artist.  Some  years  earlier,  before  Hofmann 
married,  Mahler,  befriended  by  his  family, 
had  been  sent  away  to  Paris  to  st^idy  art. 
Olga,  at  that  time  a  dependent  ward  in  the 
Hofmann  family,  and  the  poor  young  art 
student  loved  each  other  with  the  sweet,  pure 
affection  of  boy  and  girl. 

In  the  absence  of  Karl,  Olga  yielded  to 
the  pressing  suit  of  Herman  and  the  im- 
portunities of  her  own  relatives,  all  poor, 
and  became  his  wife.  Karl  returned  to  find 
the  sweetheart  whom  he  had  kissed  for  the 
first  time  when  he  told  her  good-by,  married 


10  The  Devil 

to  another.  He  was  not  greatly  shocked 
at  the  discovery,  the  life  of  an  art  student 
in  Paris  having  somewhat  dimmed  the  mem- 
ory of  his  boyhood's  love,  and  neither  he  nor 
Olga  alluded  to  their  early  romance. 

For  six  j^ears  the  two  had  been  friends, 
although  they  never  saw  each  other  alone. 
Karl  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  their  house 
and  Herman  was  his  devoted  and  loyal 
friend.  Olga  honestly  believed  that  she 
loved  her  husband  and  had  long  ago  forgot- 
ten her  love  for  Karl.  Lately  she  had  in- 
terested herself  in  his  future  to  the  extent 
of  proposing  for  him  a  bride,  Elsa  Berg,  a 
beautiful  and  youthful  heiress,  and  she  had 
arranged  a  grand  ball,  to  be  given  so  that 
the  two  young  people  might  be  brought  to- 
gether. 

In  all  the  six  years  of  her  married  life 
Olga  had  never  visited  Karl's  studio.  Karl 
had  never  even  offered  to  paint  her  por- 
trait. Although  neither  would  confess  it, 
some  secret  prompting  made  them  fear  to 
break  down  the  barriers  of  convention,  and 
they  remained  to  each  other  chaperoned  and 
safe.    On  this  evening,  however,  when  Karl 


The  Devil  11 

was  with  them,  the  subject  of  a  portrait  of 
Olga  came  up  for  the  first  time,  and  Her- 
man declared  that  it  must  be  painted. 

"She  is  more  beautiful  tlian  any  of  your 
models  or  your  patrons,"  he  said  to  Karl. 

Olga  was  strangely  disturbed,  she  could 
not  tell  why.  She  blushed  and  looked  at 
Karl,  whom  the  proposition  seemed  to  ex- 
cite to  strange  eagerness.  She  did  not  trust 
herself  to  speak,  but  listened  to  the  artist 
and  her  husband. 

Neither  Olga  nor  Karl  could  have  defined 
the  strange,  conflicting  emotions  with  which 
they  separately  received  Herman's  propo- 
sition. Unwillingly  Olga's  mind  traveled 
swiftly  back  to  the  old  days  and  her  girl- 
hood, and  she  recalled  the  day  of  Karl's  de- 
parture, the  day  he  took  her  in  his  arms  and 
kissed  her  lips  and  said: 

"I  love  you,  Olga;  I  will  not  forget." 

The  memory  thrilled  her  and  the  color 
flamed  into  her  cheeks.  Karl  looked  at  her, 
so  enraptured  and  absorbed  that  he  could 
scarcely  give  attention  to  Herman,  who  rat- 
tled on  about  the  portrait.  It  was  finally 
settled  that  the  first  sitting  should  be  the 


12  TJie  Devil 

following  day  at  Karl's  studio,  where  Olga 
would  be  left  with  him  alone. 

It  was  there  that  Olga  was  then  to  en- 
counter the  materialization  of  the  impulses 
she  had  been,  only  half  unconsciously,  strug- 
gling against  for  six  years ;  the  spirit  of  evil 
purpose  against  which  good  contends;  the 
incarnation  of  the  arch  fiend  in  the  attrac- 
tive shape  of  a  suave,  polished,  plausible, 
eloquent  man  of  the  world,  whose  cynicism 
bridged  the  j^ears  of  married  life;  w^hose 
subtle  suggestions  colored  afresh  the  faded 
dreams  which  she  believed  faintly  remem- 
bered, and  believed  would  come  no  more. 

Karl  left  them  with  the  promise  of  a  sit- 
ting on  the  morrow. 

Karl's  fitful  slumber  was  disturbed  that 
night  by  vague  half  dreams  which  oppressed 
him  when  he  arose.  He  was  filled  with  mis- 
gi\dng,  doubt,  uncertainty.  His  thoughts, 
half  formed,  disturbing,  were  of  Olga. 

He  tried  to  think  of  marriage  with  Elsa, 
but  it  was  without  enthusiasm.  Warm, 
beautiful,  affectionate,  she  made  no  impres- 
sion on  his  heart,  which  seemed  like  ice. 


The  Devil  13 

He  looked  around  the  studio  with  aver- 
sion. 

The  pictures  on  the  walls  seemed  no 
longer  to  represent  the  aspiration  of  the 
artist;  they  were  mementos  of  the  models 
who  had  posed  and  flirted  and  talked  scan- 
dal within  his  walls. 

He  paced  the  floor  restlessly,  nervously, 
twisting  his  unlighted  cigarette  in  his  fin- 
gers until  it  crumbled,  his  mouth  tight,  his 
eyebrows  drawn  together.  Then  he  seized 
his  hat  and  overcoat  and  flung  himself  out 
of  the  door  into  the  gathering  winter  storm. 

For  an  hour  he  plunged  through  the 
snow,  the  chaos  of  the  storm  matching  his 
mood.  Almost  exhausted,  he  turned  back 
toward  his  home  and  entered.  The  room 
glowed  warmly.  In  front  of  the  inviting 
fire  was  the  big  arm-chair  with  its  wide  seat, 
comfortable  cushions  and  high  pulpit  back. 
As  he  laid  aside  his  greatcoat  he  stepped 
toward  the  chair,  intending  to  bury  himself 
in  its  depths  and  surrender  to  his  mood.  A 
shudder  ran  over  him  and  he  drew  back, 
staring  at  the  seat. 

It  was  empty,  his  eyes  assured  him,  but 


14  The  Devil 

he  could  not  rid  himself  of  a  feeling  that 
it  was  occupied.  He  pressed  his  hands  to 
his  eyes  and  then  flung  them  outward  with 
the  gesture  of  one  distraught. 

"I  am  going  mad!"  he  thought. 

He  called  loudly,  harshly : 

"Heinrich!     Heinrich!" 

His  old  servant,  alarmed  at  the  unwonted 
violence  of  his  master's  voice,  hastened  into 
the  room.  Karl  flung  aside  his  coat  and 
Heinrich  held  for  him  his  velvet  dressing 
jacket.  He  slipped  into  it,  shook  himself, 
and  lighted  a  cigarette.  His  hands  shook 
with  nervousness,  and  he  held  them  out  from 
him  that  he  might  look  at  them. 

"Oh,  what  a  terrible  sight!"  he  groaned. 

"]\Ionsieur?"  Heinrich  said  inquiringly. 

"Has  any  one  been  here?"  Karl  asked. 

"No,  Monsieur,  only  Ma'm'selle  JNIimi. 
She  is  waiting  in  the  studio  to  pose." 

With  an  impatient  gesture  Karl  walked 
across  the  room,  picked  up  a  newspaper, 
flung  himself  on  a  couch  and  held  the  sheet 
before  his  eyes.  He  did  not  even  see  the 
print,  but  he  persisted,  trying  to  banish  his 
restless  thoughts. 


The  Devil  15 

rieinrich,  solicitously  brushing  and  fold- 
ing Karl's  coat,  waited.  The  artist  looked 
at  him  impatiently : 

"Tell  Ma'm'selle  Mimi  I  shall  not  need 
her  to-day.    She  may  go." 

*'Yes,  Monsieur,"  Heinrich  said. 

The  servant  stepj)ed  to  the  door  of  the 
studio  and  threw  it  oj)en.    He  called  out: 

"Ma'm'selle,  Monsieur  Karl  says  he  will 
not  need  you  to-day ;  you  may  go  home." 

Heinrich  withdrew.  Karl  lay  at  full 
length  on  the  couch,  holding  the  paj)er  be- 
fore him. 

A  young  woman,  daintily  featured,  with 
rounded  figure  whose  lines  showed  through 
her  close-fitting  costume,  burst  into  the 
room. 

Although  conscious  of  her  presence  and 
irritated,  Karl  did  not  look.  He  pretended 
to  be  absorbed  in  his  newspaper.  Mimi 
looked  at  him  and  waited,  but  as  he  did  not 
speak,  she  ventured  timidly : 

"Aren't  you  going  to  paint  me  to-day?" 

"Er— no,  not  to-day." 

"Do  you  not  love  me  any  more,  Karl  ?" 

The  newspaper  rattled  with  the  artist's 


16  The  Devil 

imj)atience  and  irritation,  but  he  did  not  an- 
swer.   Mimi  approached  him. 

"You  do  not  love  me;  you  have  ceased  to 
care  for  me.  All,  Karl,  when  you  loved  me 
you  painted  me  every  day.  Now  you  paint 
nothing  but  landscapes." 

Karl  forced  a  laugh. 

"Nonsense!"  he  said.  "You  talk  like  a 
silly  child,  JMimi." 

"You  say  that  now,  but  you  did  not  say 
such  things  when  you  loved  me,  Karl.  It 
is  always  the  way  with  us  poor  models.  At 
first  it  is,  'Ah,  what  shoulders,  what  beauti- 
ful coloring,  w^iat  perfect  ankles!'  Then 
you  paint  us  every  day. 

"And  then  it  is,  'What  in  the  world  have 
you  done  with  your  figure  ?  It  is  all  angles !' 
or,  'What  on  earth  have  you  put  on  your 
face?  It  is  as  yellow  as  old  parchment.' 
And  then  you  paint  landscapes." 

Mimi  burst  into  tears,  and  vigorously 
dabbed  her  eyes  with  her  handkerchief. 
She  was  an  extremely  pretty  girl  of  the 
bourgeois  type,  with  hea\'y  coils  of  straw- 
colored  hair  piled  high  on  her  head,  and  big 
blue  ej^'es  that  were  quick  to  weep. 


By  Permission  of  HeBiy  W.  Savage. 

MiMi:  "you  do  not  love  me;  you  have  ceased  to  care 
FOR  ME."— Paffe  16. 


The  Devil  17 

Karl  arose,  threw  aside  his  paper  and  es- 
sayed to  comfort  her. 

"There,  there,"  he  said,  patting  her  shoul- 
der, "don't  cry,  Mimi;  you  are  full  of  folly 
to-day." 

As  quick  to  smile  as  she  had  been  to  cry, 
Mimi  unveiled  her  eyes  and  looked  at  him 
eagerly,  her  lips  parting  over  her  white 
teeth. 

"Then  you  do  love  me,  Karl?  Ah,  tell 
me  that  you  love  me." 

"Yes." 

"And  you  will  paint  me  again?  If  not 
to-day,  perhaps  to-morrow?" 

"Perhaps,  but  I  am  very  busy." 

He  turned  from  her  and  sat  on  the  couch 
again.  Mimi's  mood  suddenly  turned  to 
anger,  and  she  cried  out  at  him  furiously: 

"I  know  that  you  do  not  love  me,  and  I 
know  why.    You  are  going  to  be  married. 

"Yes,  yes,"  as  Karl  made  an  impatient 
gesture;  "I  know  it  is  true." 

"You  are  very  silly,  Mimi,"  he  said. 

"Ah,  no;  I  am  not.  It  is  true  what  I  have 
said.  I  have  heard  all  about  it,  but  I  did 
not  believe  it,  because  I  was  a  fool.    You  are 


18  Tlie  Devil 

going  to  marry  Ma'm'selle  Elsa  Berg,  who 
is  said  to  be  very  beautiful  and  who  will  be 
a  great  heiress ;  and  then  you  will  forget  me, 
as  j^ou  would  be  glad  to  do  now." 

"Where  in  the  devil  have  you  heard  all 
of  this?"  Karl  demanded,  springing  angrily 
to  his  feet. 

"It  does  not  matter;  you  cannot  deny  that 
it  is  true." 

Then  her  mood  changed  swiftly  to  con- 
trition, and  she  went  close  to  Karl. 

"But  forgive  me;  I  know  it  must  be.  I 
have  always  kno\^Ti,  and  I  must  have  an- 
noyed you.  We  models  are  always  annoy- 
ing— in  our  street  clothes.  Forgive  me, 
Karl." 

She  looked  aj)pealingly  at  Karl,  and  he 
was  moved. 

"Never  mind,  Mimi;  run  along  home, 
now,  and  I  promise  to  paint  you  again,  per- 
haps to-morrow,  perhaps  the  next  day." 

She  threw  her  arms  around  his  neck  and 
kissed  him.  Then  she  fled  from  the  room. 
Karl  flung  himself  down  on  the  couch  again 
and  hid  his  face  with  his  arms. 


The  Devil  19 


CHAPTER  II 

Olga's  dream  journey  had  been  through 
the  flowering  orchard  of  girlhood,  hand  in 
hand  with  Karl,  and  she  awoke  with  a  sense 
of  regret  that  the  realities  of  everyday  life 
should  take  the  place  of  such  joyous  visions. 
She  felt  strangely  elated  during  the  day,  and 
eagerly  waited  for  the  hour  when  Herman 
was  to  call  for  her  and  take  her  to  Karl's 
studio. 

"I  wonder  what  it  will  be  like  there?'* 
she  asked  herself  a  dozen  times.  "I  think 
I  have  always  been  jealous  of  that  studio 
and  its  possibilities,  and  I  have  always  want- 
ed to  go  there — but  I  did  not  dare." 

Then  she  chided  herself  for  the  thought 
she  had  not  uttered. 

"Why,  I  am  a  goose!    What  am  I  con-, 
fessing  here  to  myself?    That  I  am  in  love 
with  Karl?     What  silly  nonsense.     Come, 
Olga,  you  are  getting  romantic." 


20  The  Devil 

Herman  came  after  luncheon  and  they 
drove  together  to  the  studio  building.  Old 
Heinrich  admitted  them,  his  eyes  growing 
big  and  round  at  the  imposing  splendor  of 
Herman's  greatcoat  and  the  bewildering 
beauty  of  the  grand  lady. 

Karl,  in  his  artist's  velvet  jacket,  hur- 
ried forward  to  greet  them. 

"Welcome  to  my  workshop,'*  he  cried. 

"How  do  you  do?"  Olga  said,  barely  giv- 
ing him  her  hand,  and  turning  at  once  to  let 
her  eyes  rove  curiously  around  the  walls  of 
the  room. 

"How  do  you  do,  Karl?"  Herman  said. 
"You  see,  we  are  prompt.  And  now  I  am 
curious  to  see  your  f)lace." 

Karl  watched  Olga  as  she  sun^eyed  the 
room.  He  felt  piqued  at  her  seeming  lack 
of  interest  in  him. 

"So  this  is  your  wonderful  studio,"  she 
said  absently. 

"It  is  much  like  a  junkshop,"  Karl  said 
deprecatingly. 

"It  is  very  interesting,"  Olga  said. 
"Whose  picture  is  that?"  she  asked,  point- 


The  Devil  21 

ing  to  a  painting  of  a  half  nude  figure  on  the 
wall. 

"That  ?  Oh,  that  is  a  model  who  has  posed 
for  me." 

"Oh,  j^es,  I  recognize  it.  We  met  the 
girl  on  the  stairs,  Herman." 

"Oh,  yes;  that  is  she." 

Herman  busied  himself  looking  at  the  pic- 
tures, chuckling  over  those  that  caught  his 
unpoetic  fancy,  and  nudging  Karl  in  the 
ribs  at  some  of  them. 

"I  must  come  again  and  inspect  them 
more  at  my  leisure,"  he  said.  "This  after- 
noon I  have  to  go  away." 

"I  am  sorry  you  are  not  to  remain,"  Karl 
said  politely. 

"Oh,  I  suppose  we  might  put  off  the  sit- 
ting in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  picture 
might  have  been  painted  any  time  these  last 
six  years,"  Herman  said.  "But  Olga  has 
been  nervous  about  the  ball  we  are  going  to 
have  to-night,  and  I  thought  it  best  to  bring 
her  to-day  to  distract  her.  You  know  this  is 
really  a  house-warming  to-night." 

"And  we  were  obliged  to  invite  so  many 


22  The  Devil 

people,"  Olga  said,  still  looking  at  the  pic- 
tures. 

"I  hate  these  social  affairs,"  Herman  rat- 
tled on,  "but  I  suppose  in  our  position  they 
are  inevitable.  What  time  shall  I  return 
for  Olga?" 

"It  grows  dark  quickly,"  Karl  said,  look- 
ing at  his  watch.  "In  another  hour  we  shall 
not  be  able  to  see.  Suppose  you  return 
about  4  o'clock." 

"Very  well;  and  now  I  must  be  going. 
You  are  coming  to  the  ball  to-night,  Karl? 
You  know  you  really  are  the  guest  of  honor ; 
isn't  he,  Olga?" 

"Yes,  indeed.  Karl  is  to  fall  in  love  with 
his  future  wife  to-night." 

Karl  looked  at  her,  but  she  spoke  with 
perfect  self-possession,  and  lightty. 

"I  shall  do  my  best,"  he  said,  and  he  tried 
to  speak  with  enthusiasm. 

"Ah,  you  are  not  half  grateful  enough  for 
this  treasure,  Karl;  j^ou  should  be  happy," 
Olga  said. 

"Of  course  he  should,  and  he  will,"  Her- 
man interposed,  moving  toward  the  door. 


The  Devil  23 

"We  will  all  be  happy — j^ou  and  Elsa  and 
Karl  and  I — everybody,  I  hope." 

Olga  went  nearer  to  Karl  and  spoke  seri- 
ously. 

''She  is  a  very  charming  girl,  Karl." 

"If  you  say  one  word  more  about  that 
girl  I  shall  fall  in  love  with  her  immediate- 
ly, which  M^ould  be  ahead  of  my  matrimonial 
scheme,"  Karl  replied  jestingly.  "You 
know  I  am  not  obliged  to  fall  in  love  until 
to-night." 

"Well,  well,  I  must  be  off,"  Herman  said, 
as  he  went  up  to  kiss  Olga.  "Good-by,  dear; 
I  shall  call  for  you  at  4  o'clock." 

Almost  against  his  will,  Karl  asked  a 
question  which  he  had  never  before  in  all 
his  life  thought  of. 

"Aren't  you  afraid  to  leave  your  wife 
alone?" 

"Alone?" 

"With  me,  I  mean?" 

Herman  looked  at  him,  and  then  spoke 
jestingly,  but  with  an  effort.  "I  am  hur- 
rying away  because  I  am  afraid  I  shall 
change  my  mind  and  take  Olga  with  me," 
he  said. 


24  The  Devil 

"You  are  not  jealous?"  Olga  asked. 

"If  you  don't  want  the  truth — no,  I  am 
not,"  Herman  replied,  and  in  his  tone  there 
was  the  peculiar  meaning  which  his  words 
did  not  convey.  "If  I  were  not  afraid  of 
becoming  ridiculous,  I  should  say  warning- 
ly,  'Children,  be  sure  to  be  good.'  " 

He  paused  and  looked  at  both  of  them. 
Then  he  said : 

"Good-by." 

As  he  turned,  Karl  followed  and  escorted 
him  through  the  door.  Olga  stood  fro^vn- 
ing,  worried,  ill  at  ease.  Karl  looked  at  her 
in  surprise  when  he  returned. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  he  asked. 

Olga  started  nen^ously  and  looked  at  him. 
She  pressed  her  hands  before  her  eyes  and 
for  a  moment  did  not  speak.  She  looked 
away  as  Karl  approached  her  and  said  ten- 
derly : 

"Are  you  afraid?    Please  tell  me." 

"I  don't  know  what  is  the  matter  with 
me,  but  just  now,  when  my  husband  went 
away,  I  felt  as  if  I  had  been  left  without  a 
protector," 


The  Devil  25 

She  broke  off  abruptly,  and  Karl  urged 
her  to  explain. 

"What  do  you  mean?  I  don't  under- 
stand," he  said. 

"Yes,  you  do,  Karl,"  Olga  said,  as  she 
turned,  and  faced  him.  "You  know.  I  have 
fought  against  coming  here  for  six  years; 
ever  since  my  marriage." 

She  looked  away  from  him,  around  the 
studio,  with  its  bizarre  decorations,  and 
shuddered. 

"Ugh!  this  place  looks  like  a  devil's 
kitchen,"  she  cried.  "These  strange  things, 
terrible  monsters,  cold,  white  statues,  heads 
without  bodies,  and  you  in  their  midst  like 
a  conjurer.  I  did  not  notice  them  while 
Herman  was  here,  but  now " 

Karl  turned  swiftly  toward  her. 

"But  now?"  he  asked. 

Olga  looked  at  him  with  an  expression  of 
terror  in  her  eyes.  The  two  stood  thus  at 
bay. 

Left  to  themselves  in  the  big  studio, 
facing  each  other,  Karl  and  Olga  were  si- 
lent. There  was  a  look  in  Karl's  eyes  that 
Olga  had  never  seen  before;  there  was  a 


26  Tlic  Bevil 

tumult  in  her  heart  that  she  had  never  before 
felt.  It  was  Karl  who  first  recovered  him- 
self and  broke  the  silence,  trying  to  speak 
lightly: 

"Don't  be  nervous,"  he  said,  reassuringly. 
"This  is  the  reception-room  of  my  studio. 
Every  woman  I  paint  comes  here." 

"And  do  you  paint  eveiy  woman  who 
comes  here?"  Olga  asked  slowly. 

"No,"  Karl  replied  shortly. 

There  was  another  awkward  pause.  Olga 
could  not  tell  why  she  had  asked  that  ques- 
tion any  more  than  Karl  could  have  told  why 
he  had  asked  Herman  if  he  was  not  afraid 
to  leave  them  alone.  It  was  some  unsuspect- 
ed jealousy  that  prompted  it. 

"Did  you  understand  my  husband?"  Olga 
asked. 

"Yes,  I  think  I  did." 

"He  said,  'I  trust  you.'  yVhy  should  he 
say  that?  Why  should  it  not  be  a  matter  of 
course?" 

"You  don't  think  he  is  really  jealous?" 

Olga  shook  her  head. 

"I  don't  know,"  she  said.  "During  the 
six  years  we  have  been  together  and  you 


Tlie  Devil  2,1 

have  been  our  friend,  he  has  often  pretended 
to  be  jealous.  This  time  there  was  some- 
thing in  his  voice  that  made  me  believe  it  was 
more  than  pretense.  It  is  the  first  time  he 
has  ever  left  us  alone." 

They  were  standing,  Karl  near  the  door,  • 
where  he  had  bidden  Herman  farewell,  and 
Olga  across  the  apartment.  In  an  alcove  in 
one  corner  an  open  fire  burned  brightly, 
casting  a  red  glow  over  the  big,  comfortable 
arm-chair  drawn  up  before  it,  with  its  high, 
pul])it-shaped  back  toward  them.  Karl 
walked  over  to  Olga  and  said  with  quiet 
earnestness : 

"We  have  tried  to  avoid  it,  Olga;  tried  for 
six  years.  Now  that  the  situation  is  forced 
upon  us,  why  not  be  honest?  Let  us  talk 
about  it  frankly." 

"I  think  it  was  sweet  not  to  discuss  it  for 
six  long  years,"  Olga  said,  smiling  at  him. 
*'A  clean  conscience  is  like  a  warm  cloak, 
Karl ;  it  enfolds  us  and  makes  us  feel  so  com- 
fortable." 

She  tried  to  make  her  mood  seem  light, 
but  Karl  would  not  fall  in  with  it. 

"Last  night,  when  it  was  suggested  that 


28  The  Devil 

I  should  paint  your  portrait,  you  gave  me  a 
look  I  had  never  seen  before,"  he  persisted. 
"I  wonder  why?" 

"I  don't  know,"  Olga  answered,  her  fear 
returning.  "Don't  let  us  talk  about  it;  I 
don't  want  to." 

"You  must  not  be  afraid  of  me,  Olga; 
if  I  were  not  I  you  might  be  frightened. 
I  am  fond  of  you,  yes;  but  respectfully.  I 
do  not  see  what  harm  can  be  done  by  talk- 
ing everything  over  quietly.  It  seems  so 
long  ago — seven  years — since  they  told  me 
that  Herman  was  to  be  your  husband.  It 
was  on  the  anniversary  of  the  day " 

"Oh,  Karl!"  she  protested,  holding  out  her 
hands  to  silence  him. 

"The  day  we  kissed  each  other,"  he  went 
on,  speaking  so  quietly  that  it  seemed  almost 
a  whisper.  "We  were  almost  children  then. 
I  was  a  poor  little  chap,  who  gave  drawing 
lessons  to  Herman  and  his  sisters.  You 
were  a  little  waif,  fed  cake  and  tea  at  the 
millionaire's  table.  There  we  met,  a  beggar 
boy  and  a  beggar  girl,  thrown  together  in  a 
palace.  We  looked  at  each  other,  and  I 
think  we  understood." 


The  Devil  ^91 

Olga  covered  her  burning  face  with  her 
hands,  and  Karl  went  on: 

"We  kissed  each  other,  quite  innocently; 
just  one  kiss,  the  memory  of  which  has  al- 
most faded." 

"Yes,  Karl,  faded,"  Olga  cried  eagerly. 
"We  have  grown  up  sensibly  and  we  never 
mentioned  it." 

Karl  seemed  not  to  hear  her  interruption. 
He  went  on: 

"You  became  Herman's  wife  and  went 
to  live  in  a  palace.  I  found  you  there  when 
I  came  back  from  Paris,  still  fond  of  you, 
but  determined  never  to  tell  you  so,  and 
when  I  met  you  again  I,  too,  was  somewhat 
changed.  Still,  when  our  eyes  met,  Olga, 
it  was  with  the  same  look  of  the  two  poor, 
longing  little  beggars  of  the  years  ago.  But 
we  did  not  kiss  again." 

"Why  not?"  Olga  breathed. 

"Your  husband  and  I  are  the  best  of 
friends,"  Karl  said.  "Though  we  have  met 
hundreds  of  times,  you  and  I,  we  have  not 
mentioned  it." 

Olga  turned  to  him  gratefully  and  held 
out  her  hand  to  clasj)  his. 


80  The  Devil 

"You  are  a  good,  true  friend,  Karl." 

"Are  j^ou  satisfied  now?"  Karl  asked  her, 
smiling.  "You  are  not  afraid  of  me,  are 
you?" 

"No;  but  there  was  something  in  my  hus- 
band's voice  that  frightened  me,"  Olga  an- 
swered. "He  knows  what  we  were  to  each 
other,  and  when  he  was  leaving  us  here 
alone  I  think  it  made  him  feel  uncomfor- 
table. We  aren't  in  love  any  more,  are  we, 
Karl?" 

"No,  of  course  not." 

"And  it  is  sweet  to  think  that  we  have 
not  entirely  forgotten  old  times,  isn't  it?" 

"Yes,"  he  answered  absently. 

"And,  of  course,  if  we  loved  each  other 
still  you  would  not  marry,  would  you, 
Karl?" 

"Of  course  not,"  he  said  shortly. 

"Now  you  will  get  married  and  j^ou  will 
be  very,  very  happy.  And  I,  too,  shall  be 
happy,  because  I  want  you  to  many,  and  I 
mvself  have  chosen  a  sweet,  clever  girl  for 

you." 

"Exactly,"  Karl  acquiesced  dryly. 
"And  now  let  us  think  no  more  of  it," 


The  Devil  31 

Olga  cried,  her  mood  changing  to  one  of 
gayety. 

She  ran  over  to  the  door,  turned  and  faced 
Karl,  knocking  loudly  on  the  panel. 

"Now  for  work;  we  have  done  nothing," 
she  said.  "Monsieur,  I  have  come  to  have 
my  portrait  painted." 

"Come  in,  madame,"  Karl  said,  bowing 
gravely  and  entering  into  her  play.  "Good- 
morning." 

"I  have  come  to  have  my  portrait  paint- 
ed," Olga  said  again. 

Karl  forgot  the  playing  and  exclaimed 
seriously : 

"Ah,  last  night  I  made  a  memory  sketch 
of  you  after  I  got  home.  I  have  made  many, 
very  many,  but  now  I  see  you  differently." 

"Why?"  Olga  asked,  startled  again  by  his 
vehemence. 

"Yesterday  I  saw  the  lines  of  your  figure; 
to-day  I  see  your  soul,"  he  said.  "Yester- 
day you  were  a  model;  to-day  you  are  an 
inspiration." 

"Please,  Karl;  please,  don't;  we  agreed  to 
end  everything,"  she  pleaded. 


32  The  Devil 

"It  is  hard  to  end  everything  so  sudden- 

ly." 

"Karl,  my  good  friend,  I  did  wrong  in 
coming  here,"  Olga  said.  "Now  that  I  did 
come,  let  us  work.  Take  your  colors  and 
brush.  We  must  get  through  with  it  as  soon 
as  possible." 

"You  are  right,  Olga;  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble." 

"\^Tiat  shall  I  do  first?"  she.asked. 

"Take  off  your  hat  and  coat,  please." 

Karl  stepped  toward  her  mth  outstretched 
hands  as  if  to  help  her.  She  drew  back,  wdth 
a  little  gesture  of  apprehension. 

"You  mustn't  touch  me,"  she  said. 

As  she  brushed  past  him  Karl  caught  a 
whiff  of  fragrance  from  her  hair  that  was 
intoxicating. 

"Do  you  use  perfume  on  your  hair?"  he 
asked,  quite  innocently. 

"Certainly  not,"  she  laughed. 

"Oh,  then,  it  is  the  natural  perfume  of 
your  hair.    Pardon  me;  I  stood  too  close  to 

you." 

Olga  removed  her  hat  and  cloak.     Shei 


The  Devil  38 

looked  up  and  saw  that  Karl  was  regarding 
her  intently. 

"You  seem  to  be  studying  my  features," 
she  said. 

"I  know  them  by  heart,  each  one,"  he  an- 
swered. "I  am  thinking  of  a  pose.  You 
know  your  husband  wished  a  half  length  in 
evening  gown." 

"Yes;  I  should  have  preferred  a  full 
length  in  street  costume." 

"I  agree  with  Herman.  You  must  be 
quick;  it  is  getting  dark." 

"What  shall  I  do?" 

"Your  waist;  you  must  take  it  off;  you 
will  find  some  shawls  there  from  which  to 
select  one  for  your  shoulders.  I  will  go  into 
the  studio." 

"Oh,  Karl." 

"Don't  mind;  I  shall  close  the  door.  Oh, 
it  is  snowing  terribly,"  he  added  as  he  moved 
toward  the  big  studio. 

"Snowing!  Oh,  Karl,  can't  we  postpone 
this?  I  don't  feel  well  to-day;  to-morrow 
I  could  come  and  bring  my  maid." 

"Certainly  not;  your  husband  would  sure- 
ly want  to  know  why  we  did  no  work  to-day. 
Now  I  will  leave  you." 


34.  Tlie  Devil 


CHAPTER  III 

He  left  the  room,  closing  the  studio  doors 
behind  him.  Olga  looked  apprehensively 
about  her.  Some  mysterious  presence 
seemed  to  oppress  her.  She  fumbled  with 
nerveless  fingers  at  the  buttons  of  her  waist. 

"Oh,  what  folly!"  she  cried  to  herself. 
"What  is  the  matter  with  me?" 

Resolutely  she  set  to  work  and  drew  from 
her  beautiful  shoulders  and  gleaming, 
rounded  arms  the  silken  waist  that  covered 
them.  She  turned  to  get  the  shawl,  and  the 
waist  fell  to  the  floor,  as  she  recoiled  with 
a  shriek*  of  terror  from  an  apparition  that 
arose  slowlj^  from  the  depths  of  the  big  arm- 
chair. 

Where  there  had  been  no  human  being 
an  instant  before  Olga  saw  a  tall,  strange- 
lookmg  man.  He  was  in  conventional  aft- 
ernoon attire,  sa^'e  that  his  waistcoat  was 


The  Devil  35 

red,  in  sharp  contrast  to  the  somber  black 
of  his  frock  coat.  His  hair  was  black.  His 
upward  pointing  eyebrows  were  black,  and 
his  eyes  shone  like  dull-burning  lumps  of 
coal.  His  face  was  like  a  mask,  matching 
his  immaculate  linen  in  whiteness.  It  was 
cynical  in  its  expression  and  almost  sinister 
as  he  bowed  low,  with  his  hands  folded  over 
his  breast,  and  said  in  a  low,  musical  voice: 

"Pardon  me,  madam,  I  think  you  dropped 
something." 

He  stooj)ed  and  picked  up  the  silken 
waist  which  had  fallen  from  Olga's  hands. 
As  he  held  it  out  to  her  she  drew  back  in 
horror. 

Olga  shrank  from  this  strange  being,  sen- 
sible of  his  serpent-like  fascination,  even 
while  he  repelled  her.  It  flashed  across  her 
consciousness  that  he  was  something  more 
than  human,  something  worse — the  embodi- 
ment of  malevolent  purpose — a  man  devoid 
of  good — the  Devil  himself. 

He  came  from  behind  the  chair,  and  as 
he  moved  toward  her  his  every  action 
heightened  the  impression  she  had  received. 
In  a  situation  where  any  man  might  have 


36  Tlie  Devil 

been  confused  he  was  perfectly  self-pos- 
sessed. His  attitude  was  neither  offensive 
nor  ingratiating.  He  became  at  once  a  part 
of  her  surroundings,  of  her  thoughts,  yes, 
of  her  soul.  It  was  this  influence  that  she 
felt  herself  combating  with  growing  weak- 
ness. 

"I  hope  you  -wall  forgive  me,"  his  smooth, 
suave  voice  went  on,  breaking  the  stillness 
almost  melodiously,  and  he  bowed  again. 
"I  permitted  myself  to  fall  asleep." 

Still  Olga  could  not  find  tongue,  and  she 
drew  yet  farther  away.  The  man,  or  the 
devil,  watched  her  as  she  groped  for  the 
shawl,  found  it  and  quickly  wound  its  filmy 
length  around  her  beautiful  shoulders  and 
arms.  An  expression  of  cynical  amusement 
crossed  his  face. 

"Excuse  me,  but  I  awoke  just  as  you  were 
about  to  unbutton  your  blouse,"  he  said. 
"Propriety  should  have  made  me  close  my 
eyes,  but " 

"Oh!"  Olga  cried,  shocked  into  speech. 

"Oh,  I  know,  madam,"  he  said,  mth  a 
bow,  "you  think  I  am  susj^icious,  and  you 
only  came  here " 


TJie  Devil  37 

"To  have  my  portrait  painted,"  Olga  said 
quickly. 

"Precisety,"  he  acquiesced,  with  the  same 
cynical  expression.  "Only  yesterday  I  met 
a  lady  at  the  dentist's,  and  I  observed  that 
she  permitted  him  to  extract  a  perfectly 
good  and  very  pretty  tooth." 

"But  I "  Olga  began,  accepting  the 

defensive  position  into  which  he  placed  her, 
when  he  interrupted  her : 

"Yes,  3^ou,  I  know,  speak  the  truth.  I 
am  even  at  liberty  to  believe  you,  but  I  can- 
not." 

For  an  instant  Olga  recovered  her  self- 
possession,  and  her  indignation  sprang  into 
a  flame  that  she  should  be  addressed  in  this 
manner  by  a  man  whom  she  had  never  seen 
before — an  intruder. 

"I  don't  know  why  I  permit  a  stranger  to 
talk  to  me  in  this  fashion,"  she  exclaimed. 
"It  amazes  me." 

The  man  stepped  toward  her.  Terrified, 
she  turned  and  fled  toward  the  door  of  the 
studio. 

"Karl!    Karl!"  she  called. 

The  stranger  smiled  as  the  doors  were 


38  Tlie  Devil 

flung  open  and  Karl  burst  into  the  room. 
The  young  artist  paused,  astonished  at  the 
presence  of  the  stranger.  He  was  more 
amazed  when  the  man  cried  out  in  the  voice 
of  genial  comradeship : 

"Hello,  Karl;  how  do  you  do?" 

"Why,  how  do  you  do?"  Karl  faltered, 
looking  blankly  from  Olga  to  the  mysteri- 
ous visitor.    "I  don't " 

"You  don't  remember  me,"  the  other  said. 
"Don't  you  recall  me  at  IMonte  Carlo?" 

"Oh,  yes,  at  IMonte  Carlo,"  Karl  said  with 
dawning  recollection. 

"It  was  an  eventful  day,"  the  stranger 
said. 

"Yes,  yes,  of  course,  I  remember;  it  was 
last  fall,  when  I  had  lost  all  my  money  play- 
ing roulette.  Some  one  stood  behind  me, 
and  it  was  you.  I  was  afraid  when  I  turned 
and  saw  j^ou,  because  I  fancied  I  had  seen 
you  a  moment  before,  beside  the  croupier, 
grinning  at  me  as  my  gold  pieces  were  swept 
away.  But  when  I  had  lost  everj^thing  you 
offered  me  a  handful  of  gold." 

"Which  you  refused,  but  I  saw  the  long- 
ing to  accept  in  your  eyes." 


The  Devil  39 

"I  did  not  know  you." 

"But  I  offered  it  again  and  you  accepted." 

"Yes,  and  in  ten  minutes  I  had  recouped 
my  losses  and  won  $20,000  besides,"  Karl 
cried  with  growing  enthusiasm.  "I  remem- 
ber indeed.  Your  money  seemed  to  possess 
mystic  luck.  When  you  put  it  in  my  hands 
it  glowed,  and  I  thought  it  was  hot.  It 
seemed  to  burn  me." 

"You  were  excited,  my  boy,"  said  the 
other  genially.  "But  you  repaid  me  and  in- 
vited me  to  dine.  I  could  not  accept,  be- 
cause I  was  forced  to  leave  for  Spain  that 
same  evening.  I  promised,  however,  to  call 
on  you  when  you  needed  me — and  here  I 
am." 

He  bowed  to  Karl  and  Olga,  who  stood 
in  speechless  astonishment  at  this  strange 
dialogue.  She  could  understand  nothing  of 
this  uncanny  stranger;  this  specter  in  black 
and  white,  who  seemed  to  emit  a  lurid  radi- 
ance as  if  his  red  waistcoat  were  alive. 

"It  was  kind  of  you  to  come,"  Karl  said. 
"I  am  glad." 

"You  were  not  here  when  I  entered,"'  the 
visitor  said,  "and  I  took  a  seat  in  that  com- 


40  The  Devil 

fortable  arm-chair.  The  warmth  of  the  fire 
affected  me,  and  I  permitted  myself  to  fall 
asleep." 

He  indicated,  with  a  sweeping  gesture,  the 
big  pulpit-backed  arm-chair.  Olga  started 
and  cried  out : 

"That  chair  was  empty;  I  remember  quite 
well,  when  my  husband  was  here.  There 
was  no  one  in  it,  I  am  absolutely  certain." 

Karl  was  so  strangely  affected  by  the 
stranger's  presence  that  he  did  not  notice 
Olga's  agitation.  The  other  regarded  her 
with  his  expression  of  cynical  amusement, 
bowed  gravely  and  said: 

"Then  I  was  mistaken,  madam." 

"Won't  you  sit  down?"  Karl  said.  "Al- 
low me  to  present  you  to — but  I  can't  re- 
member your  name." 

"It  does  not  matter,"  the  other  said  with 
an  expansive  outward  gesture  of  his  rest- 
less, eloquent  hands.  "I  am  a  philanthro- 
pist, traveling  incognito.  You  may  call  me 
anything  you  like;  call  me  Dr.  Millar." 

"Dr.  Millar,"  Karl  repeated,  seeming  for 
the  first  time  to  have  some  doubt  as  to  the 
character  of  his  guest. 


The  Devil  41 

"Oh,  you  may  rest  assured  my  social  posi- 
tion is  beyond  question,"  the  stranger  said, 
as  if  divining  his  thought. 

Karl  did  not  heed  the  irony  of  his  speech, 
but  presented  him  to  Olga,  who  distantly 
acknowledged  his  bow.  As  Karl  appeared 
to  succumb  to  this  strange  influence,  she  felt 
herself  growing  indignant.  JNIillar  seemed 
bent  on  proA^oking  an  outburst,  and  his  as- 
tonishing remarks  in  another  would  have 
seemed  vulgar  insolence,  but  in  him  they 
possessed  a  singular  meaning  that  made  both 
Karl  and  Olga  shiver. 

"Under  different  circumstances  I  should 
now  take  my  hat  and  say  good-by,"  JVIillar 
said,  after  the  introduction.  "But  my  in- 
finite tact  compels  me  to  force  vny  presence 
upon  you  in  this  most  unpleasant  situation." 

The  innuendo  stung  Olga,  and  she  turned 
to  the  artist. 

"Karl,  I  can  hardly  believe  it,"  she  ex- 
claimed, indignantly.  "Think  of  it — this 
man  dared  to " 

"How  long  has  your  husband  been  dead?" 
Millar  interrupted  with  exasperating  cool- 
ness. 


42  The  Devil 

"I  am  not  a  widow,"  Olga  said,  surprised 
that  she  should  reply. 

"Oh,  you  are  divorced?" 

"I  am  not." 

"Then  if  you  feel  that  I  have  offended 
you  I  should  think  your  husband  would  be 
the  proj)er  man  to  appeal  to,"  he  said  with 
the  utmost  coolness. 

He  seemed  like  a  trainer,  prodding  tame 
animals  with  sharp  prongs  out  of  the  leth- 
Bjcgy  of  their  caged  lives  to  stir  them  to 
viciousness.    Turning  to  Karl  he  went  on: 

"However,  if  you  wish  it,  I  am  also  at 
your  disposal.  But  do  you  not  see,  madam, 
that  it  would  be  an  admission  on  your  j)art?" 

He  spoke  as  one  who  had  dared  read  every 
secret  thought  of  each.  Bewildered,  Karl 
cried  out: 

'What  does  all  this  talk  mean?  I  don't 
understand  anything.  You  come  in  here 
unannounced;  I  don't  know  how  nor  from 
where.  You  make  us  feel  quite  uncomfor- 
table, just  as  if  j^ou  had  trapped  us  in  some 
compromising  situation." 

"Yes,  yes,  that  is  it,"  Olga  cried,  relieved 
at  Karl's  outburst. 


The  Devil  43 

The  stranger  looked  at  them  amusedly. 

"You  may  be  as  impolite  to  me  as  you 
wish;  I  cannot  go,"  he  said. 

"Why?"  Olga  demanded. 

"My  departure  now  would  mean  that  I 
leave  you  because  I  have  interrupted  you. 
On  the  other  hand,  by  remaining  I  prove 
that  I  suspect  nothing." 

"There  is  nothing  to  suspect,"  Karl  de- 
clared angrily.     "I  do  not  want  you  here." 

"Then  that  is  settled;  let  us  talk  of  some- 
thing else,"  the  visitor  remarked  with  the 
most  casual  inattention  to  Karl's  rage. 
"The  weather;  isn't  it  snowing  beautifully? 
Art;  are  you  preparing  anything  for  the 
spring  exhibition  at  the  Royal  Academy?" 

"PerhaiDS  I  may  send  something,"  Karl 
answered  sullenly. 

Olga's  bemlderment  gave  place  to  panic. 
In  her  mind  was  formed  the  purpose  of 
snatching  up  her  waist  and  rushing  from 
the  room.  Before  she  could  do  it  the  stran- 
ger was  there,  holding  the  waist  out  and 
bowing  profoundly. 

"Permit  me,  madam,"  he  said. 


44  The  Devil 

With  a  cry  of  astonishment  Olga  snatched 
at  the  garment. 

"Who  are  you?  Where  do  you  come 
from?"  she  cried. 

With  his  restless,  vibrant  hands  in  the  air, 
the  stranger  said : 

"I  come  from  nowhere,  I  go  everj^vhere; 
I  am  here." 

He  touched  his  forehead  with  his  long, 
white  fingers,  and  his  black  eyes  w^ere  fixed 
upon  her.  Clutching  the  silken  garment  she 
had  worn,  Olga  rushed  into  the  studio. 
Millar,  man  or  devil,  looked  after  her  and 
chuckled. 


The  Devil 


CHAPTER  IV 

Karl  threw  himself  moodily  into  a  chair 
as  Olga  fled  into  the  outer  studio,  and  sat 
there,  not  looking  at  his  unwelcome  visitor. 
Dr.  Millar  seemed  to  find  his  dejection 
amusing.  He  allowed  the  silence  to  remain 
undisturbed,  while  he  puffed  a  cigarette. 
Then  he  said,  half  to  himself,  half  to  Karl: 

"Full  of  temperament,  that  woman,  and 
pretty,  too;  extremely  pretty." 

"Yes,  she  is  pretty,"  Karl  acquiesced, 
without  looking  at  him. 

"It's  a  pity  she  doesn't  love  her  husband," 
was  the  next  cynical  remark  that  fell  on 
Karl's  ears. 

He  wheeled  in  his  seat  and  looked  at  the 
visitor,  who  went  on  with  perfect  coolness: 

"How  do  I  know?  It  was  apparent  when 
she  fancied  I  had  insulted  her  and  turned  to 
you  for  protection." 


46  The  Devil 

Karl  angrily  slammed  down  an  ash  tray 
he  had  picked  up  in  his  nervous  fingers  and 
began  to  pace  the  floor.  Millar  went  on  in  a 
light  tone: 

"She  does  not  love  her  husband.  He  must 
be  a  genius  or  a  very  commonplace  man. 
]Marriage  always  is  a  failure  with  such  men. 
Common  men  live  so  low  that  women  are 
afraid  some  one  may  steal  into  their  lives 
at  night  through  a  cellar  window.  Genius — 
well,  genius  lives  on  the  top  floor,  up  toward 
the  clouds,  and  with  so  many  gloomy  steps 
to  climb  and  no  elevator,  it's  very  uncomfor- 
table for  a  pretty  woman.  Her  ideal  is  one 
easy  flight  of  stairs  to  comfortable  living 
rooms  on  the  first  floor." 

Karl  maintained  silence,  and  continued  to 
walk  the  floor  .  He  looked  at  his  watch  and 
started  toward  the  door  of  the  reception- 
room  leading  into  the  hall,  which  was  locked. 

"This  is  the  second  time  I  have  seen 
madam's  shoulders,"  Millar  remarked,  casu- 
ally, blowing  cigarette  rings  in  the  air. 

"What  do  j^ou  mean?"  Karl  demanded, 
stung  to  speech  by  jealousy. 

"Ah,  I  saw  them  first  in  Paris,  at  the 


The  Devil  47 

Louvre,  fashioned  of  snow-white  marble. 
They  were  the  shoulders  of  Venus.  Am  I 
right,  Karl?" 

"I  don't  know,"  the  artist  snapped. 

"Well,  you  must  take  my  word  for  it, 
then,"  Millar  said  lightly.  "I  have  seen 
both.  And  since  Alcamenes  I  have  known 
but  one  sculptor  who  could  form  such  won- 
derful shoulders." 

"Who?"  Karl  asked,  turning  to  him. 

"Prosperity,"  Millar  replied,  sententious- 
ly.  "Such  tender,  soft,  exquisite  curves  are 
possible  only  to  women  who  live  perfectly. 
Madam  must  be  the  wife  of  a  millionaire." 

Karl  fell  to  pacing  the  floor  again,  glan- 
cing impatiently  at  the  door  through  which 
Olga  had  fled. 

"Is  she  dressing?"  asked  Millar  slyly. 

"Yes,"  Karl  answered  nervously. 

"Is  there  a  mirror  in  your  studio?" 

"Yes." 

"Madam  must  be  very  respectable,"  Mil- 
lar said  in  an  insinuating  tone;  "she  takes 
so  long  to  dress." 

"Your  remarks  are  in  very  bad  taste," 


48  The  Devil 

Karl  cried  angrily,  walking  up  threateningly 
to  his  visitor. 

JNIillar  stood  erect,  without  changing  his 
expression  of  ironical  amusement,  and  said: 

"Do  you  wish  to  offend  me?" 

"Yes,"  Karl  snarled. 

"Then  you,  too,  must  be  respectable,"  the 
visitor  said  coolly,  adding,  as  Karl  looked 
at  him  with  wonder:  "In  a  situation  like 
this  only  a  very  respectable  man  could  be- 
have with  such  infernal  stupidity." 

Karl  was  about  to  retort  when  the  studio 
door  opened  and  Olga  entered.  He  turned 
quickly  toward  her  and  she  went  to  him  with- 
out noticing  Millar. 

"What  time  is  it?"  she  asked. 

"Your  husband  will  be  here  in  ten  min- 
utes," JMillar  interposed. 

Olga  turned  toward  him  and  cried  accus- 
ingly: 

"Then  you  were  not  asleep  in  that  chair 
when  my  husband  was  here.  You  heard  him 
say  when  he  would  return." 

"Madam  is  mistaken.  Feminine  presenti- 
ment always  feels  the  approach  of  the  hus- 
band ten  minutes  ahead  of  time.    Were  it 


The  Devil  49 

not  for  those  ten  minutes  there  would  be 
J  more  divorced  women,  but  fewer  locked 
doors." 

As  he  spoke  he  walked  over  and  unlocked 
the  door  leading  into  the  hall,  then  turned 
and  looked  at  them  calmly. 

"Is  this  never  to  finish?"  Olga  asked. 

"I  tried  to  change  the  subject,  but  Karl 
would  not  let  me,"  Millar  answered. 

"I  have  not  spoken  a  word,"  Karl  pro- 
tested. 

"By  your  actions,  Karl;  by  the  way  you 
jumped  up,  imj^atiently  consulted  your 
watch,  rushed  to  the  door.  Poor  chap,  he 
was  afraid,"  he  added  to  Olga. 

"Afraid!"  Karl  exclaimed. 

"Yes,  afraid  that  your  husband  would 
come  before  you  finished  dressing.  And  you 
were  right,  Karl." 

"Why,  my  dear  Olga "  Karl  began 

impatiently,  when  the  other  interrupted  him. 

"Please,  please,  let  us  be  logical,"  he 
urged.  "Look  at  the  situation.  The  hus- 
band enters  suddenly.  'Well,  here  I  am, 
back  again,  my  darling,'  he  announces. 
'Where  is  the  picture?    I  must  see  the  pic- 


50  Tlie  Devil 

tiire.'  There  is  none.  Karl  did  not  work 
on  the  picture.  Your  husband  is  worried; 
he  does  not  speak,  but  he  is  irritated.  He 
wants  to  speak  and  the  words  stick  in  his 
throat.  You  look  at  each  other,  unhappy. 
Nothing  has  happened,  but  the  mischief  is 
done.  AAHiat  mischief?  Appearances.  What- 
ever j^ou  say  makes  matters  worse,  and  a 
compromising  situation  like  this  is  never  for- 
gotten by  the  husband.  You  go  home  to- 
gether in  silence." 

"Ah,  if  it  were  like  that,"  Karl  broke  in; 
"but  we  are  not  alone.     You  are  here." 

Millar  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"All,  that  is  it;  I  am  here,  and  with  one 
word  I  could  dispel  the  illusion,"  he  ac- 
quiesced. "But  I  know  myself;  I  am  cursed 
with  a  peculiar,  sinister  sense  of  humor,  and 
I  am  afraid  I  would  not  say  the  word. 
Hence,  when  the  husband  enters  we  are  all 
silent.  Then  I  say,  'I  regret  to  have  ar- 
rived at  such  an  inopportune  moment.'  I 
take  my  hat  and  walk  out,  leaving  you, 
madam,  your  husband  and  Karl." 

He  seemed  to  find  keen  pleasure  in  the 
possibility  of  forcing  the  two  into  a  posi- 


The  Devil  51 

tion  which  would  cause  them  suffering  and 
weaken  the  harriers  of  self-control  they  had 
huilt  up  around  that  boy  and  girl  love  that 
had  come  back  so  vividly  to  both.  Had 
they  regarded  him  as  merely  human  it  is 
certain  that  Karl  would  have  kicked  this 
cynical  being  out  of  the  studio,  with  his  in- 
fernal innuendoes.  But  there  was  something 
supernormal  about  him.  He  dominated  both 
the  artist  and  the  wife,  and  they  were  com- 
pletely under  his  spell,  stiTiggle  as  they 
would  to  break  it.  Olga  shrank  from  the 
cruelty  of  their  tormentor. 

"If  this  is  a  jest  it  is  a  cruel  one,"  she 
cried. 

"True,  madam.  But  there  is  another  way. 
If  you  wish  it  I  can  be  quite  truthful. 
Should  your  husband  arrive  I  can  tell  him 
the  portrait  has  not  been  touched  and  ask 
his  pardon." 

"Pardon  for  what?" 

"For  having  seen  your  shoulders." 

"This  is  a  trap,"  Olga  cried,  turning  to- 
ward Karl  for  protection.  "What  do  you 
want?  You  overwhelm  me  with  false  insin- 
uations.    I  hardly  know  you  five  minutes, 


52  The  Devil 

and  I  imagine  I  feel  your  long  fingers  at 
'Tix  throat." 

"Other  pretty  women  do  not  feel  them 
^uite  so  soon,"  he  murmured,  bending  to- 
ward her. 

Enraged  at  the  attitude  of  the  man,  Karl 
stepped  toward  him. 

"Stop!  I  won't  allow  any  more  of  this," 
he  conmianded. 

The  entrance  of  Heinrich  cheeked  his 
speech.     The  old  servant  said: 

"The  tailor  has  sent  some  evening  clothes, 
JNIonsieur  Karl,  but  they  are  not  yours." 

"They  are  mine,"  interrupted  the  stran- 
ger. 

"Yours?"  Karl  said  in  amazement. 

"Yes;  they  were  crushed  in  my  trunk," 
the  other  said  coolly.  "I  told  the  tailor  to 
press  them  and  send  them  here  for  the  eve- 
ning. I  must  dress,  as  I  am  invited  to  the 
ball  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  women  in 
the  city  to-night  at  the  residence  of  the  Duke 
of  IMaranese." 

"But  the  Duke  is  not  living  there  any 
more,"  Olga  interposed.  "He  is  in  Madrid." 


The  Devil  53 

"Yes,  I  know  that;  I  met  the  Duke  in 
Paris." 

"He  has  «old  his  house  to  us.  We  are 
living  there  now,  and  the  ball  is  given  by 
me,"  she  went  on. 

The  man  looked  at  her,  his  black  eyes 
seeming  to  burn  through  her  own.  Shrink- 
ing, fearful,  fascinated,  Olga  was  held  in 
the  spell  of  those  eyes. 

"Was  I  mistaken?  Am  I  not  invited?"  he 
asked. 

"Yes,  you  are  invited,"  she  faltered. 

She  could  not  resist  the  subtle  influence 
of  the  man,  even  while  every  instinct  of  good 
made  her  recoil  from  him.  With  a  trium- 
phant smile  he  bowed  and  said  softly: 

"Madam,  a  little  while  ago  you  asked  me 
what  I  wanted.  It  was  your  invitation  that 
I  wanted.    I  thank  j^ou." 

"But  my  husband,"  Olga  said,  already  re- 
penting of  the  advantage  she  had  given  him. 

"Oh,  he  will  be  delighted  to  see  me,"  the 
stranger  assured  her  confidently.  "He 
speculates  in  wheat ;  I  have  information  that 
will  be  of  value  to  him.  The  crop  has  turned 
out  worse  than  was  expected.    You  love  your 


54s  The  Devil 

husband ;  you  should  be  happy  that  the  wheat 
crop  is  bad." 

"I  am,"  Olga  assented.  "We  want  wheat 
to  be  bad  because  the  price  will  go  up." 

"Your  husband  will  make  another  for- 
tune, and  you  will  have  the  new  gown  you 
want." 

"How  do  you  know  I  want  a  new  gown?" 
Olga  asked,  falling  in  once  more  with  the 
devil's  humor  of  the  man. 

"I  observe  that  j^ou  have  a  new  hat,  and 
a  very  pretty  one;  surely  you  want  a  new 
gown." 

"You  must  be  married." 

"Married!  not  I,"  he  exclaimed.  "A  wife 
is  like  a  monocle;  it  looks  well,  but  one  sees 
more  clearly  without  it." 

"Your  views  seem  against  marriage; 
why?"  Olga  asked. 

The  tone  of  Millar  became  suddenly  seri- 
ous as  he  said: 

"You  want  Karl  to  marry;  I  want  to  pre- 
vent him  from  marrying." 

"Please  let's  not  discuss  that,"  Karl  pro- 
tested. 

"Pardon  me,  Karl,  but  an  artist  should 


TJic  Devil  55 

not  marry,"  he  went  on.  'Your  future  wife 
will  swear  to  stand  by  your  side  for  life — 
until  the  wedding  day — and  the  day  after 
she  will  be  in  your  way." 

"Not  the  true  wife,"  Olga  declared. 

"Ah,  but  the  true  wife  is  always  the  other 
fellow's  wife,"  he  answered. 

Millar  had  talked  so  absorbingly  that 
Karl  and  Olga  unconsciously  drew  near  to 
each  other.  They  stood  in  front  of  the  high 
pulpit  back  of  the  arm-chair,  each  one  rest- 
ing a  hand  on  the  chair  back.  Although 
they  were  quite  unaware  of  it,  their  position 
suggested  that  of  a  young  couple,  before  the 
altar,  about  to  be  joined  in  wedlock.  The 
cynical  humor  of  the  situation  struck  Millar, 
who  walked  around  them,  stood  in  the  chair 
and  leaned  over  the  back,  like  a  preacher  in 
his  pulpit. 

"You  are  a  pessimist,"  Olga  declared, 
looking  up  at  him. 

"No,  not  a  pessimist;  only  practical." 

"I  agree  with  you,"  Kar]  said.  "A  man 
should  stay  at  home." 


56  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  V 

Millar  leaned  down,  placing  his  hands 
over  Karl's  and  Olga's  as  they  rested  on  the 
back  of  the  chair.    Looking  at  Karl,  he  said : 

"Why  didn't  you  stay  at  home?  You  ran 
away  to  become  an  artist.  You  refused  a 
professional  position  and  ordinary  morals ;  a 
decent  occupation  at  so  much  a  week.  You 
wanted  to  go  out  and  seek  the  Golden  Fleece 
of  Fame.  Now,  fight  your  battle;  fight  it 
alone;  don't  get  married." 

As  he  spoke  he  lifted  the  hands  of  Karl 
and  Olga  and  placed  them  together,  holding 
them  clasped  in  his  own.  They  thrilled  at 
each  other's  touch;  they  looked  into  each 
other's  eyes,  and  they  hardly  heard  the  cjmi- 
cal  devil's  voice  as  INIillar  leaned  yet  farther 
toward  them  and  said : 

"I  was  thinking  what  a  splendid  couple 
you  two  would  make," 


The  Devil  57 

Olga  felt  herself  yielding  to  the  devilish 
insinuation  of  Millar.  She  made  no  effort 
to  withdraw  her  hand  from  Karl's;  she  was 
completely  under  his  sinister,  dominating  in- 
fluence. Karl's  will  seemed  equally  impo- 
tent ;  he  could  not  shake  off  the  mysterious 
obsession.  This  man  was  more  than  a.  mere 
physical  presence ;  he  was  a  part  of  their  very 
selves — the  weaker,  sensual  impulses  against 
which  they  had  fought,  but  which  now 
seemed  gaining  the  mastery.  The  struggle 
went  on  in  the  soul  of  each  as  Millar's  voice 
fell  melodiously  on  their  ears : 

"The  most*important»  thing  to  you  in  life 
is  to  find  your  proper  mate.  Generations 
of  conventional  treatment  will  try  to  prevent 
you  from  doing  so,  by  pretending  it  is  im- 
possible. But  do^\Ti  in  your  hearts,  in  their 
depths  where  truth  is  not  perverted  by  the 
veneer  of  convention,  I  know  and  you  know 
that  it  is  the  simplest  thing  on  earth.  Here 
you  are  full  of  talent  and  longing;  here  is  a 
woman,  beautiful,  passionate " 

Karl  made  a  last  struggle  against  the  in- 
evitable consequence  of  this  demon's  urg- 
ing, drawing  Olga  away  from  him. 


58  The  Devil 

"I  beg  of  you,  don't!"  he  cried.  "When 
I  look  at  you  I  fear.  Please  don't  speak 
of  it.  For  six  years  we  have  lived  peace- 
fully." 

"Say  what  you  will,"  the  soft,  even  voice 
persisted,  "I  can  read  your  eyes  and  they 
are  telling  me.  Don't  believe  him;  he  lies," 
he  went  on  to  Olga.  "He  dreams  of  her — • 
you — every  night  and  you  of  him,  and  he 
knows  it  and  you  know  it.  Ah,  I  under- 
stand the  language  of  j^our  eyes.  !No  mat- 
ter what  3^ou  say,  that  little  love  light  in 
your  eyes  discredits  j^ou,  reveals  your  inmost 
thoughts,  and  I  read  them  through." 

"Let  me  speak,"  Karl  pleaded.  "For  six 
years  we  have  lived  quietly  in  peace,  good 
friends,  nothing  else.  Olga  has  not  the  least 
interest  in  me,  and  I — I  am  quite,  quite  in- 
different." 

"Any  one  who  thinks  Karl  capable  of  a 
base  thought  must  be  base  and  contempti- 
ble himself,"  Olga  cried. 

The  two  were  almost  hysterical  as  they 
stood  beside  each  other,  warding  off  the  evil 
that  seemed  to  emaaate  from  the  mysterious 
person  who  towered  over  them  from  the 


The  Devil  59 

pulpit-backed  chair.  Karl  held  Olga's  right 
hand  in  his;  his  left  hand  was  on  her  shoul- 
der protectingly.  Millar  spoke  quickly, 
leaning  far  down  toward  them: 

"It  is  not  a  base  thought;  it  is  a  beautiful 
thought,  a  thought  shedding  happiness, 
warmth  and  joy  upon  your  otherwise  miser- 
able lives.  But  happiness,  warmth  and  joy 
have  a  price  that  must  be  paid.  He  who 
loves  wine  too  well  will  go  to  a  drunkard's 
grave,  but  while  he  is  drunk  with  wine  angels 
sing  to  him. 

"Whatever  the  price,  his  happiness  is 
cheaply  bought.  The  poet  sings  his  greatest 
song  when  he  is  about  to  die,  and  is  a  poor, 
weak,  human  mortal  to  live  without  wine  and 
song  and  women's  lips  ?  A  little  stump  of  a 
candle  shines  its  brightest  ere  it  goes  out  for- 
ever. It  should  teach  you  that  one  glow  of 
warmth  is  worth  all  this  life  can  give.  Life 
has  no  object  but  to  be  thrown  away.  It 
must  end ;  let  us  end  it  well.  Let  our  raging 
passions  set  fire  to  everything  about  us,  burn- 
ing, burning,  burning  until  we  ourselves  are 
reduced  to  ashes.  Those  who  pretend  other- 
wise are  hypocrites  and  liars." 


60  The  Devil 

The  two  listened  spellbound  to  this  amaz- 
ing sermon  of  sin.  Karl's  arm  slipped  down 
to  Olga's  waist.  He  felt  himself  drawing 
her  closer  to  him. 

"Don't  be  a  liar,"  INIillar  urged,  his  eyes 
still  burning  into  them;  "don't  be  a  hypo- 
crite. Be  a  rascal,  but  be  a  pleasant  rascal 
and  the  world  is  yours.  Look  at  me;  all 
the  world  is  mine,  and  what  I  have  told  you 
is  the  honest  confession  of  all  the  world.  We 
are  baptized,  not  with  water,  but  with  fire. 
Love  jT^ourself ;  only  yourself;  wear  the  soft- 
est garments,  sip  the  sweeest  wine,  kiss  the 
prettiest  lips." 

No  subtler  tempter  ever  spoke  to  the 
hearts  of  a  man  and  a  woman.  Karl  was 
leaning  over  Olga  now ;  he  saw  her  eyes,  her 
lips,  soft,  w^arm,  rose-colored,  he  felt  her 
arms  as  she  clung  to  him,  while  over  them 
both  gloated  the  sinister  figure  of  Millar — 
the  devil — triumphant,  confident  that  his 
work  was  done. 

There  was  a  crashing  ring  at  the  doorbell 
that  acted  like  an  electric  shock  on  the 
group.  Karl  and  Olga  came  to  their  senses, 
dazed,  trembling,  thankful.    Millar  stepped 


The  Devil  61 

down  from  the  chair,  baffled,  and  turned  his 
back  upon  them. 

"My  husband!"  Olga  gasped. 

"Mr.  Moneybags!"  Millar  sneered  con- 
temptuously. 

Olga  and  Karl  quickly  drew  apart.  Both 
were  relieved.  Olga  felt  as  if  she  had  stepped 
back  from  the  brink  of  a  terrible  precipice, 
over  which  she  had  almost  fallen.  Her  face 
was  colorless,  and  there  were  lines  of  agony 
across  her  brow.  The  two  unhappy  people 
stood  staring  at  each  other  for  a  full  minute 
before  Heinrich  entered  and  announced 
Herman. 

It  had  been  growing  dark  in  the  studio 
during  the  remarkable  discourse  by  Millar, 
but  so  absorbed  had  both  his  listeners  been 
in  their  own  tremendous  emotions  that  theV 
had  paid  no  heed.  Now,  as  Herman  en- 
tered, his  first  exclamation  was : 

"How  dark  it  is  in  here.  I  am  sorry  I 
am  late." 

Heinrich  turned  on  the  lights,  and  the 
apartment  Avas  suddenly  illuminated.  Karl 
and  Olga  had  not  yet  recovered  their  self- 


62  The  Devil 

possession,  but  Karl  managed  to  indicate 
with  a  wave  of  his  hand  his  strange  visitor. 

"Dr.  Millar,"  he  said. 

^Millar  nodded  absently  and  barely  replied 
to  Herman's  cordial  greeting.  He  was  still 
enraged  at  the  interruption  which  had  pre- 
vented the  success  of  his  infamous  jilan. 
Herman  turned  quickly  to  Karl  and  Olga. 

"Well,  children,  where  is  the  picture?  I 
am  anxious  to  see  it,"  he  exclaimed. 

"There  is  no  picture,"  was  all  Karl  could 
say.  Olga,  filled  with  apprehension  at  she 
knew  not  what,  was  silent. 

"No  picture!"  Herman  exclaimed.  "What 
have  you  been  doing  all  this  time?" 

"It  has  been  dark  for  an  hour,"  Karl  ex- 
plained. 

"Yes,  but  Olga  has  been  here  for  two 
hours,"  Herman  said,  looking  at  his  watch. 
>  There  was  an  instant  of  silence  that 
threatened  to  become  painfully  embarrass- 
ing. Olga  was  about  to  speak  when  Millar 
unexpectedly  stepped  forward,  briskly  and 
politely. 

"My  dear  ISIonsieur  Hofmann,  it  was  my 
fault,"  he  explained.     "I  came  a  moment 


The  Devil  63 

after  you  left.  I  had  not  seen  Karl  in  two 
years.  We  chatted  and  tKe  time  flew  past. 
It  was  an  extremely  interesting  conversation 
and  madam  was  so  kind  as  to  invite  me  to 
the  ball  this  evening." 

"You  will  accept,  I  trust,"  Herman  said 
with  ready  hospitality. 

"Yes,  thank  you,"  Millar  said.  "I  have 
come  direct  from  Odessa,  where  I  have  had 
a  talk  with  the  Russian  wheat  magnate." 

"Ah,  I  know;  I  shall  lose  money;  the 
wheat  crop  is  bad,"  Herman  said  impatient- 

ly- 

"Oh,  isn't  that  good  for  us?"  Olga  asked. 

"No,  dear,  it  is  not;  I  am  short  on  wheat." 

"What  does  short  on  wheat  mean?"  Olga 
asked. 

"It  means  digging  a  pit  for  others  and 
falling  into  it  yourself,"  Millar  remarked 
cynically.  "However,"  he  went  on,  "things 
are  not  so  bad.  I  have  reliable  information 
that  the  later  crop  will  be  abundant." 

"Good;  I  am  delighted  to  learn  this," 
Herman  said,  very  much  pleased  with  Mil- 
lar, who  now  spoke  pleasantly  and  ingrati- 
atingly. 


64  The  Devil 

Karl  had  paid  little  attention  to  the  col- 
loquy between  Herman  and  Millar.  He 
tried  to  speak  to  Olga,  but  could  not  catch 
her  eye.  She  seemed  to  vnsh.  to  avoid  him. 
She  watched  her  opportunity,  however,  and 
managed  to  whisper  to  IMillar : 

"I  want  to  speak  with  you  alone." 

Millar  brought  his  subtlety  into  instant 
play.    Turning  to  Herman  he  asked : 

"By  the  way,  have  you  seen  the  sketch 
of  madam  Karl  made  yesterday?  It  is 
atrociously  bad." 

"No;  where  is  it?  I  would  like  to  see  it," 
Herman  cried  eagerly. 

"It  is  in  the  studio,"  Millar  said. 

"You  must  show  it  to  me,  Karl,"  Herman 
said,  walking  toward  the  studio  door  with 
the  young  artist.  "I  am  sorry  you  didn't 
start  on  the  picture  to-day,  but  I  suppose  it 
can't  be  helped.  What  in  the  world  were 
you  talking  about  all  that  time?" 

As  they  went  out  talking,  Olga  followed 
slowly.    As  she  passed  Millar  he  said : 

"I  will  await  you  here." 

Olga  went  with  Karl  and  her  husband. 
She  had  hardly  left  the  room  w^hen  the  door 


The  Devil  QH 

from  the  hall  opened  and  Mimi  entered.  As 
Millar  turned  toward  her  with  his  ironical 
bow  she  drew  back,  affrighted. 

"Oh,  excuse  me,"  she  murmured. 

"You  wish  to  see  the  artist?"  Millar  said. 

"Yes,  please." 

He  walked  over,  took  her  by  the  shoulders 
and  coolly  pushed  her  through  the  door  into 
the  hall. 

"Wait  there,  my  dear,"  he  said.  "He  is 
engaged  just  now." 

Then  he  turned  to  meet  Olga,  who  en- 
tered suddenly,  looking  suspiciously  around 
the  room. 

"I  thought  I  heard  a  woman's  voice,"  she 
exclaimed. 

"The  scrubwoman;  I  sent  her  away," 
Millar  explained. 

"I  wanted  to  speak  with  you  alone,"  Olga 
began,  turning  toward  him  and  speaking 
very  earnestly,  "in  order  to  tell  you " 

"That  is  not  true,"  Millar  interrupted  her, 
cynically. 

"What  is  not  true?" 

"What  you  wanted  to  tell  me,"  he  said 
with    exasperating    suavity.      "You    really 


66  The  Devil 

want  to  talk  with  me  because  you  regret  that 
my  sermon  was  interrupted  by  Mr.  Money- 
bags." 

"No,  no,  I  simply  want  to  tell  you  the 
truth,"  she  protested. 

"You  may  want  to  tell  the  truth — but 
you  never  do.  I  might  believe  you,  if  you 
told  me  you  were  not  telling  the  truth." 

"Must  I  think  and  speak  as  j'^ou  wish?" 
she  cried  desperately. 

"Xo,  not  yet.  What  may  I  do  for  you, 
madam?" 

"Please  do  not  come  to-night,"  she  im- 
plored. 

Millar  smiled  deprecatingly.  She  went 
on  rapidly,  speaking  in  a  low  tone  that  she 
might  not  be  overheard  by  Herman  and 
Karl. 

"I  am  myself  again — a  happy,  dutiful 
wife.  Your  frivolous  morals  hurt  me.  Your 
words,  your  thoughts,  your  sinister  influence 
that  seems  to  force  me  against  my  will, 
frighten  me.  I  must  confess  that  I  had  be- 
come interested  in  j^^our  horrible  sermon 
when,  thank  God,  my  good  husband  rang 


The  Devil  67 

the  bell  and  put  an  end  to  it.  He  came  in  at 
the  proper  moment." 

"Yes,  as  an  object-lesson,"  Millar  sneered. 
"I  observed  you  closely.  We  three  were  be- 
ginning to  understand  one  another  when  he 
came  in." 

"Won't  you  drop  the  subject?"  Olga 
asked. 

"Are  you  afraid  of  it?" 

"No,"  she  answered  coldly;  "but  please 
don't  come  to-night." 

Millar  bowed  deeply,  as  if  granting  her 
request,  but  he  replied  coolly: 

"I  shall  come." 

"And  if  my  husband  asks  you  not  to 
come?" 

"He  will  ask  me  to  come." 

"And  if  I  should  ask  you  in  the  presence 
of  my  husband  not  to  come?" 

"I  will  agree  to  this,  madam,"  Millar  said, 
looking  at  her  with  amusement.  "If  you 
do  not  ask  me,  in  the  presence  of  your  hus- 
band, to  come  to-night  I  will  not  come.  Is 
that  fair?" 

"Yes,  that  is  more  than  nice.     It  is  the 


68  The  Devil 

first  really  nice  thing  j^ou  have  said,"  Olga 
said,  greatly  relieved. 

She  wanted  to  be  rid  of  this  terribly  sin- 
ister influence;  to  be  out  of  reach  of  the  be- 
ing who  seemed  to  compel  her  thoughts  to 
link  her  present  ^^dth  the  past.  She  wished 
to  feel  again  the  sweet,  wholesome  purpose 
that  had  inspired  her  yesterday ;  to  go  ahead 
with  her  unselfish  plans  for  Karl's  future. 
Now  that  he  had  given  his  promise,  she  was 
eager  to  be  away,  and  as  Karl  and  Herman 
entered  she  suggested  to  her  husband  that  it 
was  time  to  go. 

"Yes,  put  on  your  coat,"  Herman  said, 
turning  to  talk  to  INIillar,  whom  he  found 
interesting.  Karl  helped  Olga  on  with  her 
coat,  and  the  touch  of  it  brought  back  the 
feeling  that  had  surged  over  him  when  he 
had  leaned  dowTi  to  kiss  her  a  few  minutes 
before. 

"Now  I  see  how  unworthy  is  my  sketch," 
he  said  softly. 

"Do  not  look  at  me  like  that,"  Olga  pro- 
tested. 

"Why    not?"     Karl     asked    hopelessly. 


TJie  Devil  69 

"Even  when  I  don't  look  at  you  I  see  you 
just  the  same." 

Olga  covered  her  face  and  turned  away 
from  him. 

"Karl,  you  shall  not  do  my  portrait,"  she 
said.  "Come,  Herman,  let  us  go  home,"  she 
called  to  her  husband. 

Herman  and  Millar  were  deep  in  the  dis- 
cussion of  a  subject  on  which  the  stranger 
seemed  to  be  amazingly  well  informed.  The 
business  instincts  of  Olga's  husband  were 
uppermost,  and  he  did  not  like  to  be  drawn 
away,  but  he  said: 

"We  shall  continue  this  talk  this  evening, 
then." 

"No,  I  regret  to  say  that  I  can't  come; 
I  have  made  my  apologies  to  Madam  Hof- 
mann.  I  had  forgotten  an  engagement  with 
the  Russian  Consul  for  this  evening." 

"Ah,  the  Russian  Consul  will  be  at  our 
house.  Olga,  dear,  add  your  entreaties  to 
mine.    Persuade  Monsieur  Millar  to  come." 

In  dreadful  embarrassment  Olga  turned 
to  the  smiling,  cjTiical  mask  of  a  face  that 
looked  at  her  trium^Dhantly.  She  could  not 
refuse. 


70  Tlie  Devil 

"I  hope  we  may  have  the  pleasure  of  see- 
ing you  this  evening,"  she  said,  and  turned 
wearily  toward  the  door. 

"Thank  you,  madam,"  the  fiend  replied. 
"I  shall  be  more  than  delighted." 

Karl  interrupted  to  say  that  he  would 
not  reach  the  house  that  evening  before  11 
o'clock.  He  explained  that  he  expected  an 
art  dealer.  In  reality  he  had  just  recalled 
his  promise  to  stop  at  the  house  of  ]\Iimi. 
Herman,  suspecting  his  design,  made  some 
jesting  allusion  to  it,  which  caused  Olga  to 
ask  what  he  meant.  He  evaded  her  question, 
and  Millar,  seeing  another  excellent  oppor- 
tunity to  point  a  moral,  declared  that  he 
heard  a  knock. 

He  walked  over  to  the  door,  opened  it,  and 
to  the  amazement  of  the  others,  ushered  the 
embarrassed  little  model  into  the  room. 

"The  art  dealer,"  he  said  sarcastically. 

Olga  felt  instantly  consumed  with  jeal- 
ousy. As  she  and  her  husband  walked  out 
Millar  said  to  her: 

"I  mil  repay  you  for  your  invitation,  mad- 
am. I  shall  manage  to  forget  my  overcoat, 
and  in  five  minutes  I  shall  return  for  it  and 


to 

P4 


The  Devil  71 

break  up  the  chat  which  you  anticipate  with 
such  displeasure." 

Olga  could  not  deny  the  insinuation.  She 
did  feel  jealous  of  the  pretty  model;  she  did 
wish  that  the  girl  and  Karl  might  not  be  left, 
alone,  and  she  felt  almost  grateful  to  Millarj 
for  his  promise.  Karl  had  ushered  Mimi 
into  the  studio,  and  then  he  bade  his  guests 
good-by.  Left  alone,  he  threw  himself  face 
downward  on  the  sofa,  where  Mimi  found 
him  a  few  minutes  later. 


72  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  VI 

Kael  paid  no  attention  to  IMimi  until  she 
walked  over  to  him  and  touched  him  on  the 
shoulder.    Then  he  sat  up  impatiently. 

"Did  I  not  promise  to  call  at  your  house?" 
he  asked.     "Why  did  you  come  here?" 

"Are  you  ashamed  because  I  came  while 
all  those  people  were  here?"  Mimi  asked, 
hurt  and  drawing  away  from  him. 

"Oh,  no,  not  at  all.  I  promised  to  call, 
and  I  can't  understand  why  you  did  not 
wait,"  Karl  answered. 

INIimi  timidly  leaned  down  and  put  her 
arms  around  his  neck.  Then  she  said  plead- 
ingly : 

"Oh,  Karl,  dear,  please  don't  get  mar-  * 
ried." 

"Don't!  you'll  spoil  my  collar,"  Karl  ex- 
claimed, trj^ing  to  avoid  her  embrace.  JNIimi 
began  to  cry  softly. 


The  Devil  73 

"Before  I  saw  these  people  I  hardly  ever 
thought  of  your  marriage,"  she  said.  "But 
now — Karl,  dear,  my  heart  aches.  Please 
don't  get  married." 

Karl  was  touched  by  her  grief,  in  spite  of 
himself.  He  reached  over  and  patted  her 
cheek. 

"There,  don't  cry,  dearie;  please  don't 
cry,"  he  said.    "It  makes  you  homely." 

Mimi  brightened  instantly,  and  her  tears 
vanished,  leaving  her  face  smiling. 

"I  am  a  silly  little  girl,"  she  said. 

"Yes,  you  are,  but  I  like  you  very  much," 
Karl  said,  taking  her  in  his  arms.  "Now, 
Mimi,  suppose  we  talk  over  our  marriage 
quietly  and  sensibly.  You  may  as  well  stay, 
now  that  you  are  here.  Take  off  your  hat 
and  your  jacket." 

He  arose  and  was  helping  her  off  with 
her  red  woolen  jacket.  Then  he  hugged  her 
and  said  as  he  kissed  her  lips : 

"I  am  your  best  friend,  after  all,  Mimi, 
and  you  are  my " 

The  door  opened  suddenly  and  Millar  en- 
tered, taking  up  Karl's  speech  with: 


74  The  Devil 

*'My  overcoat;  it  is  here  somewhere.  Your 
servant  gave  me  yours." 

Karl  and  Mimi  drew  away  from  each 
other,  and  Millar  looked  at  them,  smiling. 

"It's  very  singular,"  he  said,  "but  each 
time  I  enter  your  studio  I  find  a  lady  dis- 
robing. You  might  think  this  was  a  ladies' 
tailoring  establishment." 

IMimi  looked  at  Karl  jealously  as  he 
glared  at  JMillar.  Then  she  burst  into  tears 
and  ran  out  of  the  room.  Karl  watched  her, 
and  as  she  slammed  the  door,  he  turned  to 
Millar  and  quietly  said  : 

"Thank  you  very  much." 

"Oh,  don't  mention  it." 

"I  will  get  your  overcoat,  and  don't  let 
me  detain  you,"  said  Karl  with  significant 
emphasis. 

"I  broke  the  hanger;  your  man  is  mend- 
ing it  and  will  bring  it  here,"  Millar  said 
coolly,  ignoring  the  marked  impoliteness. 

Karl  said  nothing  more,  and  after  a  few 
minutes  of  silence  Millar  resumed: 

"I  just  saw  something  that  touched  me 
deeply.    Madam  Hofmann  clinging  to  her 


The  Devil  75 

husband's  arm  as  if  she  were  begging  him 
to  protect  her " 

"Protect  her?"  Karl  exclaimed  angrily. 
"You  don't  mean  to  protect  her  frcm  me?" 

"Look  here,  Karl,  do  you  think  you  are 
wise  to  be  a  fool?" 

"I  prefer  not  to  discuss  this  subject,"  Karl 
answered  coldly.  "You  don't  seem  to  un- 
derstand my  position.  Why,  it  is  absurd; 
I  have  seen  this  woman  every  day  for  years ; 
met  her  and  her  husband ;  we  have  been  good 
friends.  That's  all,  absolutely,  and  had  I 
thought  of  anything  else  I  should  laugh  at 
myself.  In  wealth,  position,  everything,  she 
is  above  me." 

"No  woman  is  above  her  own  heart,"  Mil- 
lar replied  cynically.  "Look  at  her.  She  is 
yours  if  you  want  her.  Just  stretch  out  your 
hand,  my  boy,  and  you  have  your  warmth, 
your  happiness,  your  joy,  unspeakable  joy, 
the  most  supreme  joy  possible  to  a  human 
being,  and  you  are  too  lazy  to  reach  out  your 
hand.  Why,  another  man  would  toil  night 
and  day,  risk  life  and  limb  for  such  a  wom- 
an ;  yet  she  drops  into  your  arms  unsought — 
a  found  treasure. 


76  The  Devil 

Karl  laughed  bitterlj'-. 

"A  found  treasure,"  he  repeated.  "Per- 
haps that  is  why  I  am  indifferent." 

IVIillar  moved  over  to  where  the  young 
artist  was  seated  on  the  couch  and  sat  beside 
him.  He  leaned  toward  Karl  and  spoke 
low  and  earnestly,  keeping  his  big,  black, 
glittering  eyes  fixed  on  him. 

"Last  fall,  on  the  6th  of  September — I 
shall  never  forget  the  date — I  had  a  singu- 
lar experience,"  he  said.  "I  put  on  an  old 
suit  of  clothes — one  I  had  not  worn  for  some 
time — and  as  I  i)icked  up  the  waistcoat  a 
sovereign  dropped  out  from  one  of  the  pock- 
ets. It  had  been  there  no  one  knew  how 
long.  I  picked  it  up,  saying  to  myself,  as 
I  turned  the  gold  piece  over  in  my  hand,  'I 
wonder  when  you  got  there?'  It  slipped 
through  my  fingers  and  rolled  into  some 
dark  corner. 

"I  searched  the  room  trying  to  find  it,  but 
my  sovereign  had  gone.  I  became  nei^ous. 
Again  I  searched,  with  no  result.  I  became 
angry,  took  up  the  rugs,  moved  the  furni- 
ture about,  and  I  called  my  man  to  help  me. 
I  grew  feverish  with  the  one  thought  that  I 


The  Devil  77 

must  have  that  sovereign.  Suddenly  a  sus- 
picion seized  me.  I  sprang  to  my  feet  and 
cried  to  my  servant,  'You  thief,  you  have 
found  the  sovereign  and  put  it  back  in  your 
pocket.'  He  answered  disrespectfully.  I 
rushed  at  him.  I  saw  a  knife  blade  glimmer 
in  his  pocket  and  I  drew  a  pistol — this  pistol 
— from  mine." 

He  drew  a  shining  revolver  from  his  hip 
pocket  and  laid  it  on  the  table  at  Karl's 
elbow. 

"And  with  this  pistol  I  nearly  killed  a 
man  for  a  found  sovereign  which  I  did  not 
need,"  he  finished  quietly. 

Karl  was  profoundly  stirred  by  the  story, 
although  he  could  hardly  tell  why. 

"I  give  found  money  away,"  he  said, 
laughing  uncertainly,  and  adding,  "for 
luck." 

"So  do  I,"  said  Millar  quickly,  "but  it 
slipped  through  my  fingers,  and  what  slips 
through  our  fingers  is  what  we  want — we 
seek  it  breathlessly — that  is  human  nature. 
You,  too,  will  seek  your  found  treasure 
once  it  slips  through  your  fingers.  And 
then  you  will  find  that  worthless  thing  worth 


78  The  Devil 

everything.  You  will  find  it  sweet,  dear, 
precious." 

Karl  turned  awaj^  from  him,  trying  not 
to  listen  to  him. 

"Kill  a  man  for  a  found  sovereign,"  he 
repeated. 

"That  woman  will  become  sweeter,  dearer, 
more  precious  to  you  every  day,"  the  malig- 
nant one  went  on,  his  words  searing  Karl's 
soul.  "You  will  realize  that  she  could  have 
given  you  wings,  that  she  is  the  warmth,  the 
color — her  glowing  passion  the  inspiration 
of  your  work.  All  this  you  will  realize  when 
she  has  slipped  through  your  fingers.  You 
might  have  become  a  master — a  giant.  Not 
by  loving  your  art,  but  by  loving  her.  Oh, 
to  be  kissed  by  her,  to  look  into  her  burn- 
ing eyes  and  to  kiss  her  warm,  passionate 
mouth." 

Karl  covered  his  face  with  his  hands.  Mil- 
lar picked  up  the  delicately  scented  shawl 
which  had  covered  Olga's  bare  shoulders. 

"This  has  touched  her  bosom,"  he  cried, 
twining  it  around  Karl's  head  and  shoulders, 
so  that  its  fragrance  reached  his  nostrils. 


Tlie  Devil  79 

The  boy  lost  control  of  himself  and  caught 
the  drapery,  pressing  it  to  his  lips. 

"Both  so  beautiful,"  Millar  persisted  in 
his  soft,  even,  melodious  voice.  "Oh,  what 
you  could  be  to  each  other.  What  divine 
pleasure  you  would  find." 

Dropping  the  shawl,  Karl  started  to  his 
feet. 

"Be  quiet!  You  are  trying  to  drive  me 
mad,"  he  cried.  "Do  you  want  to  ruin  me? 
For  God's  sake,  man,  be  still!" 

"Afraid  again,  O  Puritan,"  Millar 
sneered.  "Why,  boy,  life  is  only  worth  liv- 
ing when  it  is  thrown  away." 

"Why  do  you  tell  me  that?"  Karl  de- 
manded. "Why  do  you  hover  over  me? 
What  do  you  want?     Who  sent  you?" 

"No  one;  I  am  here." 

He  again  touched  his  forehead  significant- 
ly and  Karl  shuddered.  "I  won't  do  it;  no, 
no,  no!  Do  you  hear?  I  won't,"  the  boy 
cried  hysterically.  "I  have  been  her  good 
friend  for  years — we  have  been  good  friends ; 
we  will  remain  good  friends.  I  don't  want 
the  found  sovereign." 

"But  if  it  slips  through  your  fingers,"  Mil- 


80  The  Devil 

lar  cried.  "Suppose  another  man  runs  away 
with  her." 

"Who?"  Karl  demanded. 

"Mj^self,"  Millar  replied  coolly. 

"You  I" 

"To-night!  This  very  night!"  Millar 
cried,  laughing  satanically  and  triumphant- 
ly. "To-night  I  shall  play  with  her  as  I 
please.  Oh,  what  j  oy !  What  exquisite  j  oy ! 
For  ten  thousand  years  no  lovelier  mistress." 

"What's  that?"  Karl  cried,  taking  a  step 
toward  him. 

"Mistress,  I  said — mistress!  She  will  do 
whatever  I  wish — to-night,  at  her  home. 
You  will  see,  when  the  lights  are  bright, 
when  the  air  is  filled  with  perfume — before 
day  dawns,  you  will  see." 

"Stop,  stop!"  Karl  cried  warningly. 

"Be  there  and  you  will  run  after  your  lost 
sovereign,"  Millar  went  on  tauntingly. 
"Every  minute  you  don't  know  where  she 
is  she  is  spending  with  me.  A  carriage  pass- 
es you  with  drawn  blinds,  and  your  heart 
stands  still.  Who  is  in  it?  She  and  I.  You 
see  a  couple  turn  the  corner  with  arms  lov- 
ingly interlocked.    Who  was  that?    She  and 


The  Devil  81 

I — always  she  and  I.  We  sit  in  every  car- 
riage. We  go  around  every  corner.  Al- 
ways she  and  I — always  clinging  to  each 
other,  always  lovingly.  The  thought  mad- 
dens you.  You  run  through  the  streets.  A 
light  is  extinguished  in  some  room,  high  up 
in  a  house.  W^ho  is  there?  She  and  I.  We 
stand  at  the  window,  arm  in  arm,  looking 
down  into  your  maddened  eyes,  and  we  hold 
each  other  closer,  and  we  laugli  at  you." 

"Stop,  damn  you,  stop!"  Karl  cried,  be- 
side himself  and  trying  to  shut  out  the  ter- 
rible monotony  of  Millar's  voice. 

"We  laugh  at  you,  you  fool,"  the  fiend 
cried  again  hoarsely.  "And  her  laughter 
grows  warmer  and  warmer  until  she  laughs 
as  only  a  woman  can  laugh  in  the  midst  of 
delirious  joy." 

With  a  maddened  scream  of  rage  Karl 
reached  the  table  with  a  bound  and  snatched 
up  the  revolver.  But  Millar,  with  a  spring 
as  lithe  and  agile  as  a  cat,  was  there  beside 
him,  holding  the  arm  with  which  he  would 
have  shot  down  the  man  who  was  pouring 
insidious  poison  into  his  ears — into  his  soul. 

Millar  smiled  as  he  looked  at  the  helpless 


82  The  Devil 

boy  before  him.  Karl  released  the  revolver, 
and  as  he  replaced  it  in  his  pocket,  Millar 
said  quietly: 

"You  see,  Karl,  a  man  may  kill  a  man  for 
a  lost  sovereign." 

Karl's  paroxysm  of  rage  and  pain  over, 
he  threw  himself  into  a  chair  and  buried  his 
face  in  his  hands.  He  did  not  even  look  up 
as  Millar,  his  cynical  glance  fixed  on  him, 
walked  out,  closing  the  door  softly  behind 
him.  His  departure  seemed  to  clear  the  at- 
mosphere of  its  oppressive  burden  of  evil, 
however,  and  Karl  jum]3ed  to  his  feet.  He 
made  a  few  turns  up  and  down  the  studio 
and  then  changed  his  velvet  studio  jacket  for 
a  greatcoat  and  plunged  out  of  doors  into 
the  storm. 


The  Devil  83 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  BRISK  walk  through  the  snow  and  gath- 
ering darkness  revived  him  and  he  turned 
back  to  the  studio  with  a  clearer  brain.  His 
old  servant,  Heinrich,  met  him  at  the  door. 

"Monsieur,  the  gentleman  has  returned 
and  is  dressing,"  the  old  man  said,  in  an 
awe-struck  whisper.  "I  think  he  is  the 
devil,"  he  added  vindictively. 

Heinrich  had  been  terrified  when  Millar, 
returning  to  the  studio  in  Karl's  absence, 
had  taken  possession,  with  the  utmost  cool- 
ness, of  Karl's  guest-chamber  and  proceeded 
to  change  to  the  evening  clothes  which  had 
been  sent  to  him  there  from  the  tailor's.  Un- 
willing to  meet  the  man  again,  Karl  hurried 
into  his  own  room  and  locked  the  door.  He 
did  not  emerge  again  until  long  after  Millar 
had  completed  his  dressing  and  had  left  the 
studio. 


84  Tlie  Devil 

Karl  tried  desperately  to  drive  thoughts 
of  Olga  from  his  mind ;  but  the  terrible  flame 
of  passion  which  had  grown  from  the  tiny, 
buried  spark  of  boy  love  that  lurked  in  his 
heart,  under  the  sinister  suggestion  of  Mil- 
lar, tortured  him.  He  could  hardly  keep 
himself  from  rushing  oif  to  Olga's  house,  in 
advance  of  the  ball,  to  beg  her  not  to  proceed 
with  her  design  of  bringing  him  and  Elsa  to- 
gether; to  tell  her  that  he  loved  her  and  that 
in  all  the  world  there  lived  no  other  woman 
for  him.  Desperately,  at  last,  he  remem- 
bered his  promise  to  see  Mimi,  and  he  hur- 
ried out  and  made  his  way  afoot  to  the  tat- 
tered little  building  in  which  she  li^ed, 
hoping  there  to  find  forgetfulness.  But,  go 
where  he  would,  the  haunting  black  eyes,  the 
cynical  smile,  that  even,  persistent  voice,  the 
insidious  suggestions  of  Millar,  the  devil, 
followed  him  and  would  not  be  shaken  off. 

*^  '4l&  ^  4I&  4I& 

.1\  TJv  T^  «sv  Tff 

In  a  state  of  mind  even  more  desperate 
than  that  of  Karl,  Olga  went  home  with 
Herman.  Their  journey  was  as  silent  as 
their  carriage  was  silent.    Herman  was  ab- 


The  Devil  85 

sorbed  in  contemplation  of  the  information 
Millar  had  given  him  regarding  business  af- 
fairs in  Russia,  in  which  he  was  heavily  in- 
terested. Olga  was  torn  by  conflicting  emo- 
tions. The  man  had  roused  in  her  the  dor- 
mant love  for  Karl  which  she  believed  buried 
forever.  She  could  not  deny  to  herself  now, 
as  she  had  denied  for  six  years,  that  she 
loved  him.  She  knew  now  that  during  those 
six  years  it  had  been  to  Karl,  not  to  Herman, 
that  she  had  turned  for  sympathy,  for  under- 
standing, and  the  knowledge  maddened  her. 

Deep  in  her  heart  Olga  exalted  duty  be- 
fore every  other  virtue,  and  the  duty  of  a 
loyal  wife  before  every  other  duty.  She 
could  feel  now  the  crumbling  away  of  all 
her  principles.  She  had  believed  for  six 
years  that  she  had  given  to  Herman  every 
bit  of  her  love  and  loyalty,  and  now  she  was 
forced  to  the  self-confession  that  she  had 
lived  a  lie,  even  to  herself.    She  loved  Karl. 

But,  away  from  Millar's  influence,  she  re- 
solved that  she  would  yet  battle  with  and 
overcome  the  terrible  impulses  he  had 
aroused.  She  would  make  the  artist  love 
the  beautiful,  accomplished  girl  whom  she 


86  The  Devil 

herself  had  selected  for  his  bride.  She  would 
make  him  happy;  make  them  both  happy, 
even  if  it  meant  that  she  must  crush  out  her 
o^vn  hopes  of  happiness  in  doing  so. 

"That  is  a  very  remarkable  man,  that 
friend  of  Karl's,"  Herman  said  after  they 
had  driven  some  time  in  silence. 

"Yes;  he  is  very  disagreeable,"  Olga  re- 
plied. 

"Oh,  I  don't  think  so,"  Herman  protest- 
ed. "To  me  he  seemed  very  agreeable. 
Where  does  he  come  from?  He  seems  to 
have  been  everywhere  and  to  know  every- 
body." 

"And  everything,"  assented  Olga  weari- 
ly. "I  cannot  tell  you  an}i;hing  about  him. 
Karl  met  him  a  year  ago  at  Monte  Carlo." 

"I  am  glad  you  persuaded  him  to  come 
to-night,"  Herman  said.  "He  is  going  to 
give  me  information  that  will  be  of  great 
value  to  me." 

Olga  was  on  the  point  of  telling  Herman 
all  about  the  terrible  sermon  the  stranger 
had  preached  to  them ;  of  his  wicked  insinua- 
tions and  of  her  terrible  dread,  but  she 
checked  herself.    Herman  seemed  fatuously 


The  Devil  87 

delighted  by  Millar,  and  she  could  not 
bring  herself  to  talk  to  him  now.  They 
continued  the  ride  in  silence  until  home  was 
reached. 


88  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Herman  and  Olga  occupied  one  of  the 
finest  residences  in  Park  Lane.  It  had  been 
built  by  a  wealthy  nobleman  and  comj)leted 
with  a  princely  disregard  for  expenditure. 
It  stood  in  the  center  of  a  considerable  park, 
surrounded  by  trees  and  gardens. 

Preparations  were  already  going  forward 
for  the  ball  vvhen  Herman  and  Olga  reached 
home.  Decorators  were  putting  the  finish- 
ing touches  on  the  magnificent  ballroom. 
Florists  were  banking  ferns  and  potted 
plants  along  the  stairs  and  halls.  All  was 
bustle  and  preparation.  Herman  delight- 
edly went  forward  and  examined  every  de- 
tail of  the  work.  Olga,  who  ordinarily 
would  have  taken  the  same  keen  interest  in 
the  preparations,  turned  wearilj^  away  and 
went  to  her  own  room.  She  dined  alone, 
under  the  plea  of  a  headache,  and  did  not 


The  Devil  89 

again  appear  until  the  guests  began  to  ai> 
rive  in  the  evening. 

"You  look  very  beautiful,  my  dear,"  Her- 
man said  to  her  when  she  entered  the  draw- 
ing-room. 

Her  mood  had  changed.  Her  eyes 
seemed  unnaturally  bright.  She  herself 
could  not  tell  what  had  caused  the  change. 
When  she  reached  home  she  had  looked  for- 
ward with  shuddering  aversion  to  her  sec- 
ond meeting  with  Millar.  Now  she  was  im- 
patient for  him  to  arrive.  She  wanted  to 
talk  to  him;  to  hear  again  the  soft,  persua- 
sive voice,  the  insidious  harmony  of  his  words 
that  seemed  to  frame  for  her  the  thoughts 
she  had  never  dared  express. 

She  was  bright,  alive,  witty,  charming  in 
the  beauty  of  her  fresh  color,  her  glorious 
hair,  her  si3lendid  figure  set  off  charmingly 
in  an  evening  gown  of  white  satin  brocade. 
She  stood  at  the  head  of  the  winding  stair- 
way leading  to  the  drawing-room  when  Mil- 
lar came. 

The  man  seemed  more  suggestive  of  ma- 
lignant purpose  in  his  evening  clothes  than 
he  had  been  in  the  afternoon.    Immaculate 


90  The  Devil 

in  every  detal  of  his  dress,  his  very  groom- 
ing suggested  wickedness.  He  walked  slow- 
ly up  the  stairs,  feasting  his  eyes  on  Olga 
as  she  stood  with  hand  extended  to  meet 
him. 

"Madam,  I  am  charmed  to  greet  you 
again,"  he  said.  "I  congratulate  you  on 
the  wonderful  transformation,  and  I  need 
not  ask  in  what  way  it  was  effected." 

"It  may  be  that  I  owe  it  to  you,  mon- 
sieur," Olga  replied  gayh%  her  ej'^es  frankly 
meeting  those  of  Millar  as  he  looked  at  her 
Avith  admiration  he  did  not  attempt  to  dis- 
guise. 

"I  trust  we  are  soon  to  have  the  pleasure 
of  seeing  Karl  again." 

"He  will  be  here — later,  I  believe,"  Olga 
answered.  "Meanwhile,  monsieur,  I  am 
going  to  ask  you  to  make  yourself  agreeable 
to  some  of  my  guests." 

"JNIadam,  I  can  only  make  myself  disa- 
greeable to  them,"  he  replied  cynically.    "It 
is  not  they  whom  I  came  to  see  and  enter-_ 
tain." 

"But  you  must  be  entertained  now,"  Olga 
3aidt    "Soon  I  hope  we  may  talk," 


TJie  Devil  91 

"We  shall  talk,"  Millar  assured  her,  bow- 
ing. 

He  passed  on  to  greet  Herman,  and  was 
presented  to  others  in  the  rapidly  growing 
throng.  Wherever  he  went  Olga  heard  ex- 
elamations  usually  of  surprise  or  dismay 
from  her  women  guests,  and  the  number  that 
invariably  gathered  around  him  at  first  rap- 
idly diminished.  He  seemed  bent  on  making 
himself  disagreeable,  as  he  had  promised. 

One  elderly  spinster  to  whom  he  was  pre- 
sented greeted  him  with  an  affected  lisp, 
drooping  eyes  and  an  inane  remark  about 
the  terrible  cold. 

"Yes,  mademoiselle,  your  teeth  will  chat- 
ter to-night — on  the  dresser." 

To  another — a  portly  lady  who  affected 
the  airs  of  a  girl — he  said  in  his  most  silken 
tones: 

"My  dear  madam,  I  must  tell  you  of  a 
splendid  remedy  for  getting  thin." 

"I  don't  want  to  get  thin,"  the  portly  one 
replied  indignantly  as  she  flounced  away 
from  him. 

Olga  waited  impatiently  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  withdraw  with  Millar  into  a  se- 


92  The  Devil 

eluded  place,  where  she  might  listen  to  him 
while  he  told  her  the  things  that  she  did  not 
dare  tell  herself.  The  evening  had  grown 
late,  however,  and  Karl  had  arrived  before 
she  could  get  away  from  her  guests. 

Karl  had  tried  to  avoid  a  tete-a-tete  vAih. 
Olga,  and  she  took  the  first  opportunity  of 
introducing  him  to  Elsa.  She  rebelled  in 
her  soul  now  at  the  thought  of  their  mar- 
riage, but  her  will  drove  her  to  the  fulfilment 
of  her  puropse,  to  that  extent  at  least.  But 
it  was  with  a  heart  torn  with  jealousy  that 
she  watched  Karl  and  Elsa  move  off  togeth- 
er, and  turned  to  meet  JMillar,  standing  be- 
side her  with  his  cjTiical,  sinister  smile. 

Elsa  Berg  was  a  brilliant,  vivacious  girl, 
rarely  beautiful,  with  lively  blue  eyes,  chest- 
nut hair  and  a  tall,  slender,  willowy  figure. 
The  romance  and  excitement  of  her  meet- 
ing with  Karl  made  her  seem  doubly  beauti- 
ful, and  she  gladdened  the  artist  in  him, 
hut  he  helplessly  confessed  to  himself  that 
she  made  no  impression  on  his  heart.  His 
thoughts  were  with  Olga,  and  he  w^as  ab- 
stracted, almost  to  the  point  of  rudeness, 
while  Elsa  tried  to  talk  with  him. 


The  Devil  93 

"Who  is  that  terribly  rude  person  who 
seems  to  be  frightening  every  one?"  she 
asked. 

"He?  Oh,  that  is  Dr.  Millar,  a  friend  of 
mine,"  Karl  replied. 

"Pooh!  I  don't  see  why  every  one  seems 
so  afraid  of  him,"  Elsa  said  with  a  note  of 
challenge  in  her  tone.  "I  think  I  shall  meet 
him  just  to  see  if  he  will  make  me  run." 

"No,  no;  don't  go  near  him,"  Karl  begged. 

"And  why  not?  Has  he  such  a  sharp 
tongue  or  an  evil  mind?  I  can  take  care  of 
myself." 

"I  don't  really  think  you  ought  to  meet 
him,"  Karl  said,  but  he  spoke  without  con- 
viction. He  suddenly  yielded  to  a  curiosity 
to  see  what  might  come  of  a  meeting  between 
Elsa  and  Millar. 

"I  don't  care ;  I'm  going  to  hunt  him  up," 
she  cried,  jumping  up  and  scampering  off. 

Millar  had  gone  into  an  anteroom  lead- 
ing out  into  the  beautiful  gardens.  A  num- 
ber of  the  company  had  assembled  there  as 
he  entered,  and  it  was  obvious  from  the  in- 
stant silence  which  ensued  that  he  had  been 
the  subject  of  their  discussion.    This  seemed 


04  Tlie  Devil 

to  gratify  his  cj^nical  humor,  and  he  looked 
the  assembled  men  and  women — society  pup- 
pets— over  with  a  cjmical  grin.  Elsa  was 
among  them,  and  tow^ard  her  Millar  bowed 
as  he  said: 

"I  never  knew  this  number  of  ladies  could 
be  so  silent.  I  presume  during  my  absence 
you  have  been  discussing  me  kindly." 

The  others  did  not  speak,  but  Elsa  turned 
boldly  to  Millar. 

"Don't  flatter  yourself  that  I  am  afraid 
of  you,"  she  said.  "I  would  say  to  your  face 
what  these  f)eople  only  dare  think.  Indeed, 
I  was  just  going  to  look  for  you." 

"It  is  just  as  well  you  are  here:  thej^  might 
discuss  you  and  your  approaching  betrothal 
with  Karl,"  JNIillar  said. 

"You — you  know!"  Elsa  cried  in  aston- 
ishment. 

The  others  seemed  tremendously  inter- 
ested at  the  information  Millar  had  impart- 
ed, and  Elsa  was  embarrassed.  She  knew 
the  design  of  her  friend  Olga  in  bringing 
her  and  Karl  together,  but  she  was  not  aware 
that  it  was  kno\^^l  to  any  one  else.  Millar 
smiled  as  he  replied : 


The  Devil  95 

"Of  course;  they  would  throw  you  into 
his  arms." 

While  the  others  who  overheard  laughed 
at  this  sally  and  Elsa  blushed  furiously, 
Millar  went  close  to  her  and  said : 

"I  must  speak  to  you  alone.  I  will  send 
these  people  away.     Leave  it  to  me.'* 

Elsa*  drew  away  and  there  was  a  silence 
in  the  room.  The  others  began  to  feel  un- 
comfortable as  Millar  looked  slowly  from 
one  to  the  other  of  them.  One  or  two  es- 
sayed conversation,  and  his  cutting,  insolent 
replies  sent  them  scurrying  from  the  room. 
In  a  few  moments  only  he  and  Elsa  remained 
in  the  apartment.  From  the  adjoining  ball- 
room came  the  strains  of  music  and  the 
sound  of  dancing  and  bright  laughter.  Mil- 
lar looked  at  Elsa. 

"Now  they  are  gone,"  he  said. 

"Are  you  not  surprised  that  I  did  not  go 
also?"  she  asked.  "You  offended  me,  you 
know,  but  I  stayed  because  I  want  to  talk 
with  you." 

"How  charming,"  Millar  said  with  gentle 
sarcasm. 


96  The  Devil 

"Perhaps  j'^ou  kncv/  my  nickname — Saucy 
Elsa?"  said  the  girl  warningly. 

"Oh,  yes." 

"Then  you  should  know  that  your  Ches- 
terfieldian  manners  embarrass  me,"  Elsa 
said  impatiently  as  IMillar  bowed  again  be- 
fore her.  "I  have  selected  you  to  dehver 
a  most  impudent  message  to  that  crowd  in 
there,  because  you  are  so  perfectly  impo- 
lite." 

"I  am  entirely  at  your  disposal,  mademoi- 
selle." 

"How  can  I  be  impudent,  though,  when 
you  are  so  polite  to  me?"  she  cried  petu- 
lantly. 

"Shall  we  end  the  conversation,  then?" 

"Oh,  no,  not  yet,"  Elsa  cried,  embar- 
rassed. Then  she  went  on  with  determina- 
tion: "When  you  came  in  here  you  said 
I  was  the  girl  they  were  going  to  throw  into 
Karl's  arms." 

"I  did." 

"But  you  did  not  say  that  I  am  the  girl 
who  permits  herself  to  be  thrown  into  Karl's 
arms.    Am  I  right?" 

"Yes." 


TJie  Devil  97 

"Please  sit  down,"  Elsa  went  on,  recov- 
ering her  self-poise,  which  the  baffling  polite- 
ness of  Millar  had  disturbed. 

He  declined  the  chair  with  a  gesture,  but 
she  insisted.  \ 

"I  feel  much  more  commanding  when  I 
stand,  and  I  want  every  advantage,"  she 
said.  "I  want  to  set  you  right,  and  it  will 
be  much  easier  when  you  sit  down  and  I 
stand." 

Smiling,  Millar  sat  down  and  looked  up 
at  her  expectantly.  Slightly  confused,  she 
went  on: 

"I  don't  want  people  making  fun  of  me 
before  my  face.  I  know  everything.  Do  I 
make  myself  clear?  You  were  kind  enough 
to  mention  the  subject,  and  I  shall  dele- 
gate to  you  the  mission  of  explaining  the 
true  facts  to  those  dummies." 

She  grew  quite  vehement,  and  her  cheeks 
flushed.  Millar  looked  at  her  admiringly 
as  he  said : 

"Your  confidence  does  me  great  honor." 

"As  a  rule  I  don't  take  these  people  seri- 
ously," the  girl  hurried  on.  "I  have  no  more 
interest  in  them  or  their  opinions  than  I 


98  Tlie  Devil 

have  in  last  week's  newspapers.  But  I  want 
them  all  to  know  that  they  have  not  fooled 
me  into  marrying  Karl.  And  you  all  want 
me  to  marry  him — you  all  want  to  throw  me 
into  his  arms." 

"Pardon  me "  Millar  interrupted,  but 

she  went  on,  unheeding. 

"Don't  you  think  I  can  see  through  your 
transparent  schemes?  But  I'll  marry  him 
just  the  same,  if  he'll  have  me.  Do  you  un- 
derstand?   I'll  marry  him." 

"I  do  not  think  you  will,"  Millar  said 
quietly. 

"I  tell  you  I  am  going  to  be  Karl's  wife," 
Elsa  cried  with  emphasis. 

"Now  that  you  have  graced  me  with  your 
confidence,"  Millar  said,  rising,  "I  feel  that 
I  may  be  quite  frank  with  you.  This  mar- 
riage cannot  take  place." 

He  pointed  to  tlie  chair  he  had  vacated 
and  smiled. 

"Now,  j^ou  sit  down,  because  I  am  going 
to  set  you  right,"  he  said. 

Wonderingly,  Elsa  obeyed.  Millar  called 
a  servant  who  was  passing,  and  said : 


TJw  Devil  99 

"You  will  find  a  small  red  leather  case  in 
my  overcoat  pocket.     Bring  it  here." 

The  servant  went  out  and  he  continued  to 
Elsa: 

"I  know  the  reason  of  this  marriage,  but 
you — you  don't  know  the  reason,  or " 

"Or  what?" 

"Or  you  don't  want  to  know.  Hence  you 
are  about  to  consent." 

"Consent  to  what?"  Elsa  cried.  "Don't 
beat  around  the  bush.  This  is  what  I  am 
trying  to  avoid.  I  am  about  to  consent  to 
become  the  wife  of  a  man  who  loves  another 
woman.  And,  what  is  more,  I  intend  to  go 
on  my  honeymoon  with  a  man  who  has  an- 
other woman  in  his  heart — who  leaves  with 
this  other  woman  everything  he  should  bring 
to  his  wife — love,  symj)athy,  enthusiasm, 
everything.    You  see,  you  did  not  know  me.'* 

Millar  was  unmoved  by  her  vehement 
declaration.  As  the  servant  re-entered  the 
room  and  handed  him  a  small,  red  leather 
case,  he  said : 

"I  did  not  think  this  subject  could  excite 
you  to  such  a  degree." 


100  The  Devil 

"I  don't  want  any  one  laughing  at  me," 
Elsa  protested.  "I  want  them  all  to  under- 
stand that  I  know  quite  well  the  way  I  am 
going,  and  that  I  go  that  way  proudly,  fully 
conscious  of  it — that  I  know  everything  and 
yet  I  consent  to  be  his  wife." 

"Why?"  Millar  asked,  opening  his  little 
satchel. 

"Because — because — I — I  love  him,"  the 
girl  answered,  and  began  to  sob. 

Millar  smiled  wickedly  as  he  took  from 
the  case  a  dainty  lace  handkerchief  and  held 
it  toward  Elsa. 

"Pardon  me,  I  always  carry  this  with  me," 
he  said.  "It  is  my  weeping  bag.  In  it  is 
everything  a  woman  needs  for  weeping." 

Elsa  sobbed  and  dabbed  at  her  eyes  with 
the  handkerchief,  not  noticing  that  the  man 
was  amused. 

"I — I  love  him,"  she  declared. 

"And  take  this  also,"  Millar  said,  hand- 
ing her  a  little  mirror,  then  a  powder  puff 
and  a  tiny  stick  of  rouge.  Elsa  could  not  help 
smiling  through  her  tears  at  the  absurdity 
of  it,  as  she  dabbed  and  dusted  her  tear- 


The  Devil  101 

stained  face,  looking  at  herself  in  the  little 
mirror,  until  all  traces  of  her  weeping  were 
removed. 

"So  this  is  the  far-famed  Saucy  Elsa," 
Millar  said  as  he  watched  her. 

"No,  it  isn't,"  she  said  rebelliously. 
"When  I  came  here  to-night  I  was  a  young, 
saucy  girl.  Now  I  am  a  nervous  old  wom- 
an.   What  shall  I  do?" 

"Whatever  you  do,  you  must  not  be  dis- 
couraged. You  must  fight — attack  the 
enemy.    But  first  of  all  you  must  be  pretty." 

"I  shall  try,"  Elsa  said  dolefully. 

"You  must  show  that  woman  your  teeth. 
Of  course  it  is  hard  for  a  young  girl  to  fight 
a  woman,"  Millar  went  on.  "You  don't  pos- 
sess so  many  weapons  as  a  married  woman 
who  knows  love  already — who — may  I  say 
something  improper?" 

"Please  do,"  she  said,  her  sauciness  re- 
turning as  she  held  her  hands  before  her  eyes 
and  looked  at  him  through  her  fingers. 

"A  woman  who  knows  all  about  love  that 
you  have  yet  to  learn." 

"I  understand,"  she  said. 


102  Tlie  Devil 

"But  don't  mind  that;  listen.  There  is 
not  much  sentiment  in  me,  but  I  am  a  man, 
and  I  tell  j^ou,  little  girl,  j^ou  possess  the 
weapon  that  will  deal  the  death  blow  to  the 
most  attractive,  the  most  experienced  woman 
in  the  world.    That  weapon  is  purity." 

"Should  I  listen  to  all  this?"  Elsa  asked. 

"You  should  not,"  JMillar  replied  prompt- 
ly; "but  listen  just  the  same.  It  may  help 
you.  And  now,  go  dance  with  Karl.  You 
must  conquer.  But  don't  try  to  be  a  woman ; 
be  a  girl.    Don't  try  to  be  saucy." 

"I  don't  care  to  be  saucy,  but  it  is  so  origi- 
nal," Elsa  said  contritely. 

"Don't  try  to  be  original,"  JMillar  said 
earnestly.  "Be  yourself.  Be  modest.  Be 
ashamed  of  your  pure  white  shoulders. 
Look  at  Karl  as  if  you  feared  he  is  trying 
to  steal  j^ou  away  from  girlhood  land  and 
show  you  the  way  to  woman's  land.  And  if 
any  one  ever  dares  to  call  you  saucy  again, 
tell  him  you  once  met  a  gentleman  to  whom 
you  wanted  to  give  a  piece  of  your  mind 
and  that  you  left  him  with  a  piece  of  his 
mind,  feeling  very  small  indeed  yourself, 


The  Devil  103 

and  making  him  feel  as  if  he  were  the  big- 
gest rascal  in  the  world." 

Elsa  turned  and  went  toward  the  other 
room,  meeting  Karl  at  the  door  as  Millar 
withdrew  behind  a  curtain  of  palms. 


104.  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  IX 

Millar  had  played  with  devilish  ingenuity 
on  the  tender  susceptibilities  of  Elsa.  He 
encouraged  her  in  her  love  for  Karl  and  her 
determination  to  win  him,  evidently  with 
the  deliberate  purpose  that  she  should  repel 
the  boy  whose  will  he  had  determined  to 
subordinate  to  his  own.  He  watched  as  a 
cat  watches  its  prey  the  meeting  between 
Karl  and  Elsa  after  he  withdrew  quietly  into 
the  sheltering  recess  behind  the  palms. 

Karl  had  been  searching  for  her  and 
stopped,  barring  her  way  into  the  ballroom. 

"So  here  you  are  at  last,  Miss  Elsa,"  he 
exclaimed. 

"Yes,"  Elsa  replied,  dropping  her  eyes 
demurely. 

"Why  are  you  not  in  the  ballroom?" 

"I  wanted  to  be  alone.  If  any  one  really^ 
wanted  me  he  could  find  me." 


The  Devil  105 

Her  dejection  surprised  Karl. 

"You  seem  sad.    Are  you  worried?" 

"No." 

"Then  what  has  happened?"  Karl  asked. 

He  walked  toward  her,  and  as  he  did  so 
Millar  emerged  from  his  place  of  conceal- 
ment.   Karl  looked  at  him. 

"Ah,  now  I  understand,"  he  said. 

"Surely  you  do  not  mean  to  suspect  that 
I  am  the  cause  of  Miss  Elsa's  mihappiness," 
he  said  blandly. 

Karl  ignored  him  and  turned  to  Elsa, 
looking  at  her  in  frank  admiration. 

"You  are  very  pretty  to-night,"  he  said, 
going  close  to  her.  "It  is  because  you  are 
yourself — a  sweet,  pure,  natural  girl.  I  like 
you  better  this  way,  Elsa.  I  could  take  you 
in  my  arms  and  hug  you." 

"Oh,  Karl !"  Elsa  exclaimed,  blushing  and 
hiding  her  face. 

Millar's  cjniical  smile  overspread  his  face, 
and  he  turned  away,  well  satisfied  with  the 
progress  he  was  making. 

"Excuse  me,"  he  murmured.  "I  must  say 
good-evening  to  our  hostess,"  and  he  stole 
quietly  out. 


loe  The  Devil 

The  two  young  people  did  not  notice  him. 
They  sat  down  very  close  to  each  other, 
Karl  leaning  forward  and  looking  Into  the 
big  blue  eyes  of  the  girl.  Elsa  gave  a  glance 
at  the  disappearing  figure  of  Millar. 

"I  am  awfully  glad  to  be  alone  with  you, 
Elsa,"  Karl  said.  "You  are  the  one  natural 
thing  in  this  fetid,  artificial  atmosphere. 
Don't  you  feel  warm?" 

"Yes,  as  if  some  hot  breeze  were  blowing 
through  this  room.    It  stifles  me." 

"You  never  spoke  like  that  before,"  Karl 
said. 

His  back  was  toward  the  ballroom  door 
and  he  did  not  see  Millar  usher  Olga  into  the 
room.  The  man  had  brought  Olga  that  she 
might  witness  the  fulfilment  of  her  plan, 
and  that  he  might  triumph  in  her  jealousy 
and  further  thwart  them.  Elsa  saw  them 
come  in  and  seat  themselves  across  the  room. 

"There  is  Olga,"  she  said,  "and  she,  too,  is 
jealous.    "Don't  you  want  to  speak  to  her?" 

"I  have  seen  her,"  Karl  replied  without 
turning  around.  "I  would  rather  talk  with 
you.    It's  far  more  interesting." 

"They  axe  talking  about  us,"  Elsa  said 


The  Devil  107 

warningly,  as  she  saw  Olga  and  Millar  look 
toward  them. 

"Oh,  what  of  it?"  Karl  exclaimed  impa- 
tiently.    "Let  us  be  glad  we  are  together. 
I  am  just  beginning  to  know  you,  Elsa." 
'     "Why  do  you  look  around,  then?"  Elsa 
said. 

"Am  I  looking  around?"  Karl  asked.  "I 
wasn't  aware  of  it." 

But  even  as  he  spoke  he  could  not  help 
furtively  glancing  around  to  see  what  Mil- 
lar and  Olga  were  doing.  He  remembered 
the  man's  declaration  in  the  studio  that  after- 
noon and  he  distrusted  and  feared  him.  He 
was  beginning  to  hate  him. 

By  a  sheer  effort  of  will  he  forced  him- 
self to  turn  to  Elsa.  He  resolved  that  he 
would  talk  to  her;  that  he  would  make  love 
to  her;  that  he  would  marry  her  and  banish 
from  his  heart  those  hateful  emotions  which 
Millar  had  aroused.  He  leaned  forward  and 
spoke  of  love  to  the  girl  in  low  tones,  while 
Elsa,  with  color  coming  and  going  in  her 
face,  listened  and  watched  the  woman  she 
knew  for  her  rival. 

"Our  first  love  usually  is  our  last  love^^^ 


108  The  Devil 

our  last  love  always  is  the  first,"  Karl  said. 

"I  don't  know,"  Elsa  cried  demurely.  "I 
have  never  been  in  love,  although  I  was  dis- 
appointed twice,"  she  added  gayly. 

Karl  was  beginning  to  find  his  task  diffi- 
cult.   His  attention  wandered  to  Olga. 

"Disappointments;  well,  }^es,  who  has  not 
been  disappointed?" 

Elsa  observed  his  growing  inattention,  his 
efforts  to  concentrate  his  thoughts  on  their 
talk,  his  futile  love-making,  and  she  turned 
from  him  coldly.  JNIeanwhile  IMillar  and 
Olga  were  having  a  conversation  in  which 
Olga  was  being  torn  on  the  rack  of  her  jeal- 
ous emotions. 

IMillar  had  brought  her  into  the  anteroom 
to  show  her  Karl  making  love  to  Elsa. 
Everj'-  circumstance  favored  his  design. 
Olga  at  first  was  disposed  to  withdraw  when 
she  saw  them. 

"Don't  you  think  we  should  leave  the 
young  people  together?"  she  said. 

"You  are  too  considerate,"  Millar  replied 
cynically. 

"They  seem  to  be  growing  fond  of  each 
other,"  Olga  said  jealously. 


The  Devil  109 

"Yes;  do  you  dislike  it?" 

"No." 

"Shall  we  leave  now?" 

"No;  I  rather  enjoy  watching  my  seed 
bear  fruit." 

Olga  tried  to  speak  lightly  and  smile. 
Millar,  watching  her  closely,  saw  her  lips 
twitch,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  she 
controlled  herself. 

"They  are  an  interesting  couple,"  he  said. 

"Can't  we  discuss  something  besides  these 
two?"  Olga  asked  impatiently. 

"Yes,  certainly,"  Millar  acquiesced.  "I 
came  here  to-night  to  decide  a  wager,"  he 
went  on. 

"What  was  it?"  Olga  asked  absently,  look- 
ing with  jealous  eyes  at  Elsa  and  Karl. 

"I  made  a  wager  that  j^ou  would  fall  in 
love  with  me  to-night." 

Olga  was  startled  by  the  declaration,  but 
she  treated  it  lightly  as  one  of  Millar's 
strange  sayings. 

"With  whom  did  you  make  such  a  wager?" 
she  asked. 

"With  Karl,"  Millar  answered  quickly. 


110  The  Devil 

"Karl — and  what  did  he  say?"  Olga  cried, 
almost  rising  from  her  seat. 

"I  must  not  tell  you  now;  it  might  hurt 
you." 

"Oh,  no,  it  won't;  please  tell  me  now," 
Olga  pleaded,  leaning  over  the  table  toward 
him. 

Millar,  too,  leaned  forward,  his  face  al- 
most touching  her  white  shoulder,  his  hand 
touching  hers  as  it  rested  on  the  table.  It 
was  thus  Karl  saw  them  with  one  of  those 
furtive  glances,  and  the  glist  froze  the  pretty 
speech  he  was  trying  to  make  to  Elsa.  The 
girl,  seeing  his  look,  jumped  to  her  feet,  ex- 
claiming angrily,  and  so  that  all  three  heard 
her: 

"Take  me  to  the  ballroom  immediately.  I 
have  promised  the  next  dance." 

Karl  also,  his  face  white  with  passion,  had 
jumped  to  his  feet.  Elsa,  almost  in  tears, 
stamped  her  foot  at  him. 

"Why  do  you  stand  there?  Take  me  away. 
Aren't  you  coming?" 

She  turned  and  started  to  the  door,  Karl 
following.  They  passed  Millar  and  Olga, 
still  seated  at  the  table. 


The  Devil  111 

"I  thought  you  were  in  the  ballroom," 
Olga  said  sweetly  to  the  girl. 

"Oh,  did  you?" 

"I  hope  you  are  enjoying  the  dancing." 

"I  hate  dancing,  but  I  shall  dance  every 
dance  to-night,"  Elsa  cried  passionately. 

She  looked  angrily  at  Olga,  who  arose  and 
moved  toward  her.  Karl  stepped  between 
them,  giving  his  arm  to  Elsa.  The  two 
walked  together,  leaving  Olga  looking  help- 
lessly into  the  smiling  face  of  Millar. 

Olga  looked  angrily  at  the  stormy  little 
Elsa  as  she  floundered  from  the  room  into 
the  ballroom,  followed  by  the  enraged  Karl. 
Millar  smiled  more  cynically  than  ever  as  he 
saw  the  play  of  emotion  on  Olga's  face.  His 
ruse  had  worked  admirably.  He  had  at  least 
beaten  down  Olga's  will,  but  he  had  yet  to 
make  certain  of  Karl. 

"How  dared  she  speak  like  that?"  Olga 
demanded,  turning  to  her  cynic  Millar. 
"Karl  must  love  her." 

"Let  us  not  reach  conclusions  so  hastily," 
Millar  said.  "First  let  me  tell  you  how  Karl 
answered  me  this  afternoon." 


112  The  Devil 

"When  you  made  the  wager?"  Olga  asked 
quickly. 

"Yes;  when  I  promised  to  make  you  fall 
in  love  with  me." 

"What  did  he  say?" 

"He  tried  to  kill  me,"  INIillar  answered 
slowly. 

The  color  rushed  to  Olga's  cheeks.  Her 
eyes  sparkled  as  she  turned  them  toward  her 
tempter.  It  was  delight  she  felt;  mad,  un- 
reasoning joy  that  Karl's  love  for  her  had 
prompted  him  to  kill  another  who  threatened 
to  win  her  from  him.  Still  smiling,  INIillar 
went  on,  taking  the  shining  revolver  from  his 
pocket  and  showing  it  to  her: 

"With  his  own  hands,  dear  lady,  Karl 
tried  to  kill  me  with  this  little  pistol.  I 
took  it  away  from  him." 

"He  tried  to  shoot  you?"  Olga  exclaimed. 

"Yes;  and  he  would  have  done  so.  This 
is  nicely  loaded  for  six." 

Almost  to  herself  Olga  whispered  her  next 
words : 

"This  afternoon  he  wanted  to  kill  you 
when  you  only  spoke  of  making  love  to  me, 
and  now— he  saw  you  whisper  in  my  ear, 


The  Devil  113 

hold  my  hand,  touch  my  shoulders.  Why, 
he  must  have  fallen  in  love  with " 

"Don't  you  think  it  silly  to  shoot  a  friend 
on  account  of  a  woman?"  Millar  interrupted, 
before  she  could  pronounce  Elsa's  name. 

"Oh,  he's  fond  of  me — perhaps  you  said 
something-  about  me,"  Olga  stumbled  on  hur- 
riedly. "Karl  holds  me  in  high  regard,  but, 
there  is  no  doubt  of  it,  these  young  people 
are  in  love." 

"I  fear  you  regret  the  success  of  your 
matrimonial  scheme  for  Karl  and  Elsa," 
Millar  said. 

"Do  you  think  it  will  be  successful?"  she 
asked  eagerly. 

"I  don't  know,  but  we  may  find  out  easily 
enough." 

"How?" 

Millar  took  a  turn  up  and  down  the  room, 
his  up-slanting  eyebrows  drawn  together  in 
deep  thought. 

"This  afternoon  he  tried  to  shoot  me  when 
I  told  him  I  would  make  you  fall  in  love 
with  me,"  he  said,  stopping  in  front  of  Olga. 
"That  means  love.  Don't  speak  to  me  of  re- 
spect or  regard,  my  dear  lady.    They  fire  off 


114  The  Devil 

cannons  in  salute  out  of  respect,  but  when 
they  draw  pistols,  that  means  love.  Now, 
you  think  Karl  loves  this  little  girl.  Sup- 
pose we  find  out  who  is  right.  We  will  make 
Karl  tell  us  himself." 

Olga  turned  away,  with  a  gesture  of  dis- 
sent, but  Millar  went  on  insinuatingly: 

"Of  course,  I  understand  it  interests  you 
only  because  you  planned  this  marriage,  and 
after  all  itis  only  right*  that  you  should  feel 
a  certain  amount  of  pride  in  the  success  of 
your  plans.  Is  it  not  so?" 
"Yes,  that  is  true." 

"Very  well,  then ;  Karl  shall  tell  us  which 
was  real — his  attempt  to  murder  me  or  this 
little  affair  with  Elsa." 

"But  how — you  don't  mean  to  ask  Karl?" 
Olga  asked  in  bewilderment.    "You  are  not 
going  to  listen  at  key-holes?" 
"Oh,  madam,  no." 

"Then  how  can  we  make  him  tell  us?" 
"It  is  simple;  I  have  a  plan.     But  you 
must  follow  my  instructions  to  the  letter. 
Don't  ask  for  any  reasons;  simply  do  as  I 
say." 

Olga  looked  at  him  reflectively.    She  knew 


By  Permission  of  Henry  W.  Savage. 

"let  only  your  bake  neck  show  above  your  cloak,  and 
the  tips  of  your  shoes  beneath  it."-  pa^e  115. 


The  Devil  115 

instinctively  that  he  had  some  new  bit  of 
devilish  ingenuity,  some  sinister  twist  of  that 
marvelous  brain,  and  she  was  afraid.  But 
she  wanted  more  than  anything  else  to  be 
assured  that  Karl  did  not  love  Elsa ;  that  her 
scheme  for  their  marriage  had  failed,  and  she 
replied : 

"Very  well,  it  is  agreed." 

"I  saw  you  once  at  the  opera  with  a  very 
beautiful  cloak  that  covered  you  completely 
from  your  neck  to  your  shoe  tij^s.  Have  you 
such  a  cloak  now?" 

"Yes." 

"Good.  Put  this  cloak  on.  Let  only  your 
bare  neck  show  above  it  and  the  tips  of  your 
shoes  beneath.  Button  it  from  top  to  bot- 
tom, as  if  you  felt  cold.  Then  we  shall  need 
but  the  presence  of  j'^ourself  and  Karl,  here 
in  this  room,  to  solve  the  problem." 

Olga  looked  at  Millar  a  moment  in  si- 
lence. There  flashed  instantly  through  her 
mind  the  full  meaning  of  his  daring  sugges- 
tion, and  at  first  she  was  on  the  point  of  in- 
dignant refusal.  Then  she  as  quickly  re- 
solved to  carry  out  the  scheme;  to  beat  the 


116  The  Devil 

man  at  his  own  cunning  game ;  to  find  out  for 
herself  what  Karl  really  felt. 

"Unconditionally  obey  me  and  we  shall 
know  everything,"  Millar  assured  her,  ob- 
serving her  hesitation. 

"This  is  very  mysterious,"  Olga  said  slow- 
ly. "What  strange  influence  do  j'^ou  possess 
that  compels  me  to  obey  your  will?  Your 
eyes  seem  to  have  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world 
behind  them." 

"You  do  my  eyes  poor,  scant  justice," 
Millar  replied.  "Now  go,  dear  madam.  If 
any  one  expresses  astonishment  that  j'ou 
wear  a  cloak  indoors,  simply  say  that  you 
felt  cold." 

"It  really  is  cold,"  Olga  said  with  a  little 
shiver  as  they  turned  away. 

"Out  this  way,"  ^Millar  said  quickly,  point- 
ing to  the  palms  and  a  door  beyond  them. 
"Karl  is  coming." 

Olga  gathered  her  skirts  up  and  hurried 
from  the  room  just  as  Karl  entered.  The 
young  artist  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  dress 
as  she  disappeared  behind  the  palms.  He 
looked  at  JNIillar  with  jealous  rage  making 
his  eyes  glow. 


The  Devil  117 

"Who  was  that?"  he  demanded. 

"Who?"  Millar  asked  blandly. 

"Did  Olga  run  away  from  me?" 

"No  one  ran  from  you  that  I  know  of, 
Karl.  That  is  a  pretty  girl,  my  young 
friend,  that  little  Elsa." 

"Yes,  she  is  j)retty,"  Karl  replied  absent- 
ly, sitting  down  at  a  table. 

He  was  still  tortured  by  the  sight  of  Mil- 
lar leaning  over  Olga,  touching  her  hands, 
whispering  in  her  ear.  He  was  tormented 
by  the  insinuating  words  the  man  had  ut- 
tered in  the  afternoon  when  he  swore  that 
Olga  should  love  him;  should  be  his.  He 
would  have  liked  to  take  JNIillar's  throat  in 
his  two  hands  and  throttle  him. 

Keenly  aware  of  the  inferno  he  had  raised 
in  Karl,  Millar  continued  to  chat  affably, 
Karl  not  deigning  to  answer.  Finally  Mil- 
lar said: 

"You  seem  annoyed." 

Karl  lost  control  of  himself  and  leaped 
to  his  feet.  He  went  close  to  Millar,  star- 
ing into  his  eyes. 

"I  am  annoyed.    Do  you  want  to  know 


118  Tlic  Devil 

why?"  he  demanded,  putting  all  the  inso- 
lence he  could  command  into  his  tone. 

"No,"  Millar  rej^lied  with  a  smile. 

"I  want  to  tell  you  wlw,"  Karl  declared. 

"Please  don't,"  Millar  said  deprecatingly. 

"Yes,  I  will,"  Karl  went  on  belligerently. 
"I  am  amazed  at  the  change  which  has  come 
over  you  since  this  afternoon.  Don't  imag- 
ine that  it  is  on  account  of  Olga — we  Avon't 
discuss  her  at  all." 

"Certainty  not;  she  is  out  of  the  question," 
INIillar  assented  warmly. 

"Absolute^,"  Karl  went  on.  "I  came 
here  this  evening  determined  to  ask  Elsa  to 
marrj'^  me." 

"Fine!  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it.  I  wish 
you  good  luck,  my  boy!"  INIillar  cried  with 
enthusiasm. 

"You  are  glad?" 

"Delighted,"  Millar  assured  him. 

"It  does  not  take  you  long  to  change  your 
mind,"  Karl  continued,  still  with  a  truculent 
air.  "This  afternoon  you  insisted  I  should 
not  marry  Elsa.  To-night  you  are  delighted 
at  the  prospect." 


The  Devil  119i 

"Oh,  yes ;  I  see  the  matter  now  in  a  differ- 
ent light." 

"Then  it  was  Olga  who  ran  away  as  I 
entered!"  Karl  almost  shouted,  glaring  at 
him  menacingly. 

"Ran  away?  Why  should  she  run  away?" 
Millar  asked,  pretending  embarrassment. 

"Don't  act  like  a  cad!"  Karl  cried  threat- 
eningly. 

"What  do  you  mean,  Karl?" 

"I  mean  exactly  what  I  say.  Don't  act 
like  a  cad.  If  you  were  a  gentleman  you 
would  hide  your  pleasure." 

JMillar  pretended  to  be  shocked  at  the  in- 
dignation of  the  yiung  artist,  which  secretly 
delighted  him. 

"Don't  talk  that  way,  Karl,"  he  urged. 
"As  you  seem  to  have  penetrated  my  secret, 
I  suppose  I  might  as  well — but  have  you 
made  up  your  mind  to  marry  Elsa?" 

"Absolutely." 

"And  you  will  not  change  your  mind — you 
promise?" 

"I  will  not  change  my  mind." 

"Well,  of  course,  if  that  is  the  case,  I  can 
tell  you.    I " 


120  The  Devil 

He  hesitated  as  if  embarrassed  at  his  own 
question.    Karl  cried  roughly : 

"And  did  j^ou  succeed?" 

"Well,  I " 

"What  of  her  husband?" 

"Ah,  Karl,  he  is  deaf,  dumb  and  blind," 
Millar  cried  gleefully. 

Stifled  with  the  pain  at  his  heart,  Karl 
turned  away. 

"This  afternoon,  at  my  house,  you  met 
her  for  the  first  time,"  he  said. 

"All,  Karl,  she  is  a  clever  woman;  cleverer 
than  I  thought,"  JNIillar  said,  affecting  tre- 
mendous enthusiasm.  "She  deceived  me  this 
afternoon  about  her  true  character;  she  has 
been  deceiving  all  of  you.  I  am  sure  of  it. 
Oh,  she  is  grand,  fantastic,  passionate,  dar- 
ing. Think  of  it,  Karl,"  he  went  on,  going 
close  to  the  boj'-  and  leaning  over  him,  bring- 
ing out  his  words  so  that  eveiy  one  seemed  to 
penetrate  his  heart;  "think  of  it,  to-night  a 
kiss  behind  a  door  in  front  of  which  her  hus- 
band was  standing.  Danger  fascinates  her. 
And  just  now,  a  moment  before  you  came, 
we  agreed— — " 

"So  it  was  she?"  Karl  interrupted. 


The  Devil  121 

"Oh,  yes,  it  was  she,"  Millar  admitted. 
"I  suggested  a  wild  plan,  Karl;  almost  too 
daring  for  the  first  day  of  our  acquaintance. 
Her  honor,  position,  everything  depend 
upon  its  success.  Of  course  I  did  not  dream 
she  would  carry  it  out.  I  suggested  it  mere- 
ly to  sound  the  depths  of  her  passion.  But 
she  loved  the  idea  and  insisted  upon  doing 
it  this  very  night.     If  it  fails  we  are  lost." 

Karl  trembled  with  apprehension  for 
Olga,  whom  he  believed  in  the  devilish  power 
of  this  man. 

"What  is  it?"  he  asked. 

"She  will  be  here  in  one  minute,  dressed 
in  an  opera  cloak — and  nothing  else.  Think 
of  it,  Karl;  the  daring  of  it.  She  will  walk 
through  the  ballroom  on  my  arm,  among  all 
those  people,  her  friends,  her  husband,  with 
no  one  in  the  secret  but  we  two — and  you. 
Ah,  Karl,  I  told  j'-ou  she  would  be  mine," 
Millar  concluded  with  rapturous  accents. 

"With  a  wild  cry  Karl  sprang  at  Millar, 
hurling  one  word  at  him : 

"Liar!" 

"Karl,  be  careful,"  Millar  protested, 
avoiding  him. 


122  The  Devil 

"It's  a  lie;  a  damnable,  dirty  lie!"  Karl 
cried,  trjdng  blindly  to  reach  him,  to  grasp 
his  throat  to  throttle  him. 

JMillar  deftly  avoided  him  and  laughed 
triumphantly. 

"I  have  trapped  you  who  tried  to  trap 
me,"  he  cried.    "You  love  Olga  Hofmann." 

"Yes,  I  love  her,"  Karl  cried  loudly.  "I 
love  her,  and  yet  I  will  marry  Elsa.  Now, 
I  have  listened  to  your  infernal  lies ;  I  have 
watched  you  gloat  over  them.  Men  like  j'^ou 
steal  a  woman's  reputation  and  boast  of  it 
and  call  it  a  success.  But  you  shall  pay  for 
it,  now,  this  minute,  when  I  kick  you  out  of 
the  house.  Out  with  you,  like  a  sneak-thief 
that  you  are!" 

He  advanced  determedly  on  Millar,  who 
quietly  faced  him. 

"Remember,  Karl,  that  I  have  the  pistol 
now,"  he  said  coolly. 

"Out  vn\h  you,  j^ou  sneak-thief;  I  am  not 
afraid  of  you,"  Karl  cried  again. 

He  was  about  to  seize  Millar  by  the  throat, 
when  he  started  back  in  amazement  at  what 
seemed  to  be  the  fulfilment  of  the  other's 
sinister  promise.    Olga  stepped  through  the 


The  Devil  123 

door  into  the  room.  She  was  clothed  from 
head  to  foot  in  a  beautiful,  shimmering,  fur- 
trimmed  cloak. 

Above  the  top  button  gleamed  her  bare 
throat.  Her  white  arms  projected  from  the 
short  sleeves.  The  hem  of  the  skirt  fell  to 
the  tips  of  her  white  satin  shoes. 

As  Olga  entered  she  gave  one  glance  at 
Karl  and  then  moved  away  from  him,  and 
stood  beside  the  table  at  which  she  and  Mil- 
lar had  been  seated.  She  saw  the  wild  rage 
stamped  on  his  face,  and  her  woman's  intui- 
tion made  her  know  that  Millar  had  told 
him  what  she  had  divined  he  meant.  The 
situation  frightened  her,  and  she  felt  on  the 
point  of  fleeing  from  the  room  or  casting 
aside  the  cloak;  but  she  resolved  to  see  the 
game  through. 

Karl  stared  at  her,  rage  giving  place  to 
amazement,  then  to  despair.  For  full  a  min- 
ute no  one  spoke.  The  music  floated  in  soft- 
ly from  the  ballroom,  mingled  with  the  hum 
of  voices  and  laughter.  Olga  was  the  first 
to  break  the  stillness,  but  she  did  not  look  at 
him  as  she  spoke. 


124  The  Devil 

"Karl,  this  is  the  first  time  I  have  had  a 
chance  to  talk  with  you  to-night,"  she  said. 

"What  is  that?"  Karl  absently  asked. 

He  had  not  heard ;  his  mind  was  confused, 
bewildered.  Millar,  cynically  misunder- 
standing his  question,  said  quickly: 

"Why,  that  is  an  opera  cloak." 

Olga  turned  quickly,  fearful  that  the  re- 
mark might  cause  an  eruption  which  she 
could  not  control.  She  cried  impulsively, 
seeking  to  divert  the  threatening  train  of 
conversation : 

"The  ball  is  a  great  success.  Every  one 
is  merrj^;  everj^  one  dances  as  if  it  were  the 
first  affair  of  the  season.  The  girls  are 
all  as  happy  as  young  widows  who  have  just 
taken  off  mourning." 

"I  have  observed  it,"  Millar  agreed  ^dth 
enthusiasm.  "It  is  splendid.  But  why  is 
Karl  so  sad  amid  all  this  merry-making?" 
he  added. 

"Why  are  you  sad,  Karl?"  Olga  asked, 
turning  to  him. 

"I  sad?  You  are  silly,"  Karl  cried  with 
forced  gayety.  "I  never  felt  happier  in  all 
my  life." 


The  Devil  125 

There  was  a  touch  of  hysteria  in  his  voice 
that  made  Olga's  heart  go  out  to  him. 

"I  am  glad  you  are  having  such  a  good 
time,"  she  said. 

"Yes,  yes;  I  feel  like  a  schoolboy,"  Karl 
cried  wildly;  "like  a  young  tiger.  I'm  mad 
with  joy.  I  will  get  drunk  to-night.  I  will 
drink,  drink  drink  until  the  angels  in  heav- 
en sing  to  me — as  you  said  this  afternoon," 
he  added,  turning  to  Millar. 

"No,  no,  Karl,"  Olga  pleaded,  thoroughly 
frightened.  "Why,  you  never  drank.  Why 
should  you  drink  to-night?" 

"Because  I  am  doing  things  to-night  I 
never  did  before,"  Karl  replied  bitterly.  "I 
have  never  been  engaged  before;  to-night  I 
shall  be  engaged." 

"Good!  fine,  Karl,"  Millar  exclaimed. 
"She  is  a  splendid  girl." 

"Splendid  girl!  What  do  I  care  what 
sort  of  a  girl  she  is?  It's  not  the  girl;  it's 
marriage — something  new.  I  want  to  see 
what  it  is  like." 

"For  a  bridegroom  you  are  not  very  gay," 
Millar  said  tauntingly. 

"Gay!     Why  should  I  be  gay?     I   am 


126  The  Devil 

drinking"  the  last  bitter  drops  of  my  backelor 
days — but  I'll  swallow  tliem,  and  then — ^ 
purity." 

"Bravo,  Karl!"  Olga  said. 

"Oh,  I  don't  care  what  any  one  else  thinks 
about  it,"  Karl  sneered  at  her.  "I  am  doing 
this  to  please  myself." 

Olga  was  hurt  and  surprised  at  his  tone. 
She  had  never  seen  him  so  completely  beside 
himself  before;  she  had  never  heard  him 
speak  so  bitterly,  so  vindictively.  As  she 
watched  him  he  looked  at  her,  and  a  spasm 
of  pain  contorted  his  face.  He  pointed  his 
finger  at  her  accusingly,  and  cried : 

"Why  are  you  wearing  that  cloak  in  the 
house?" 

"Madam  Hofmann  may  be  cold,"  Millar 
suggested  quietly. 

"Yes,  yes;  I  am  cold,"  Olga  said  hur- 
riedly, drawing  the  cloak  around  her  more 
closely. 

"You  are  fortunate  to  have  such  a  beau- 
tiful cloak,"  Millar  said,  determined  now  to 
keep  them  at  the  main  point  of  his  game. 

"Suppose  we  do  not  talk  about  the  cloak," 


The  Devil  127 

Olga  said.     "You  and  Elsa  seemed  to  get 
on  nicely  to-night,  Karl." 

"Yes,"  he  replied  absently. 

"Really,  it  was  charming  to  watch  such 
devoted  young  people,"  Millar  said. 

Karl  flashed  a  look  of  hatred  at  him  and 
turned  again  to  Olga. 

"That  cloak  is  lined  with  fur,  isn't  it?" 

Before  she  could  reply  Millar  had  inter' 
rupted  in  his  silken,  insinuating  voice : 

"Yes,  soft,  smooth  fur." 

"I  did  not  sj)eak  to  you,"  Karl  cried  at 
him  savagely.  "Well?"  he  demanded  of 
Olga. 

"Soft,  smooth  fur,"  Olga  replied.  "It 
is  cold  in  here." 

"Nonsense;  it  is  hot.  I  feel  stifling,"  Karl 
declared. 

"I  feel  chilly,"  Olga  insisted. 

"Perhaps  madam  is  not  dressed  warmly 
enough,"  Millar  insinuated.  "You  should 
wear  plenty  of  clothes  in  the  winter  time,  or 
you  may  run  the  chance  of  taking  cold." 

Olga  caught  her  breath  and  then  she  an- 
swered : 

"I  love  to  take  chances." 


128  The  Devil 

"You  do,  eh?"  Karl  cried. 

"Yes;  what  is  it  to  you?"  she  asked  taunt- 
ingly. 

Karl  threw  his  self-control  to  the  winds. 
With  flaming  face  and  a  voice  that  shook 
with  anger,  he  cried: 

"Aren't  you  two  afraid  of  me?" 

Olga  was  afraid  and  she  looked  at  him 
apprehensively.  Millar  smiled  his  cynical, 
sinister  smile  and  answered: 

"Afraid?  I'm  not  afraid  of  the  husband. 
Why  should  I  be  afraid  of  a  moralizing,  joy- 
less bridegroom?" 

Karl  took  a  step  toward  him,  when  Her- 
man entered  the  room.  All  three  were  silent 
and  Herman  looked  at  them  in  surprise. 

"What  is  this — a  conspiracy?"  h€  asked 

gayly. 

"Oh,  no,  merely  a  conversation,"  Millar 
said. 

"Well,  Karl,  how  are  you  getting  along 
with  Elsa?"  Herman  asked,  taking  the  boy 
by  the  arm  and  walking  off  with  him. 

Olga  watched  them  as  they  disappeared, 
going  into  the  ballroom,  Karl  evidently  re- 


The  Devil  129 

luctant  to  be  taken  away.  Then  she  turned 
to  Millar. 

"What  did  you  tell  him  about  my  cloak?" 

"About  the  cloak?    Nothing." 

"You  did  not  tell  him " 

"What?" 

"He  stared  at  me  as  if  he  thought — 
thought  I  had  on  only  this  cloak." 

"That  is  exactly  what  I  told  him,"  Millar 
assured  her. 

"Oh,  how  could  you?" 

"Now  don't  be  shocked,"  Millar  said  cyn- 
ically. "You  knew  it.  The  moment  you 
entered  the  room  you  realized  that  I  had 
told  him.    And  what  is  more  you  liked  it." 

"How  dare  you!"  Olga  gasped.  "If  I 
had  understood " 

"If  you  had  understood,  would  you  have 
taken  off  the  cloak?" 

"Yes." 

"Well,  now  you  understand,  why  do  you 
not  take  it  off?" 

Olga  raised  her  head  and  looked  straight 
into  Millar's  eyes.  She  said  not  a  word,  but 
drew  her  cloak  more  closely  about  her  with 


130  The  Devil 

a  movement  that  sent  a  thrill  of  suspicion 
and  surprise  through  him. 

"Madam,  j^ou  didn't  really?"  he  cried  in 
amazement. 

"Do  you  think  I  am  a  child?"  she  asked. 
"Do  you  imagine  that  I  did  not  understand 
your  suggestion  from  the  very  first?  You 
wanted  me  to  fool  Karl.  Perhaps  I  have 
fooled  you.  How  do  you  know  I  am  not 
nude  beneath  this  cloak?" 

"Madam!"  Millar  cried  in  wide-eyed 
amazement. 

"Now  let  us  see  if  you  will  take  a  chance," 
Olga  said.  "Give  me  your  arm,  my  dear 
doctor,  and  we  will  walk  together  through 
the  ballroom." 

JMillar  was  at  a  loss  for  a  moment.  His 
imperturbable  calm  was  broken.  Olga  had 
matched  her  woman's  intuition  against  his 
cunning  and  had  won.  But  his  bewilder- 
ment gave  way  to  undisguised  admiration, 
and,  bowing  as  gallantly  as  a  youthful 
sweetheart,  he  gave  her  his  arm. 

As  they  were  about  to  leave,  however, 
Karl  suddenly  barred  their  way,  coming  hur- 
riedly in  from  the  ballroom. 


The  Devil  131 

"Are  you  coming  in  with  us,  Karl?"  Olga 
asked,  as  they  paused. 

"No,"  Karl  almost  shouted;  "and  you  are 
not  going — you  stay  here." 

"What  do  you  mean?" 

"I  mean  what  I  said.  You  stay  here. 
And  you,  too,"  he  added  to  Millar. 

He  turned  and  closed  the  ballroom  door. 
Then  he  faced  them  again. 

"We  will  settle  this  thing  right  here.  Take 
off  that  cloak." 

"I  will  not." 

"By  heavens,  I'll  tear  it  off,"  he  cried 
furiously,  rushing  at  her. 

Olga  stood  unmoved.  Millar  caught  Karl 
by  the  arm  and  stopped  him. 

"Why  did  you  stop  him?"  Olga  asked, 
smiling. 

She  was  perfectly  self-possessed  now  and 
in  command  of  the  situation.  Millar  was 
frankly  afraid  that  she  had  taken  his  mean- 
ing literally.  Karl  was  mad  with  rage  and 
jealousy.    Olga  was  unruffled. 

"Madam,  I  was  afraid,"  Millar  said. 

"You  will  take  it  off,"  Karl  cried,  still 
held  back  by  IMillar.     "If  you  do  not,  I'll 


132  The  Devil 

find  your  husband  and  he  shall  have  the 
pleasure." 

Olga  turned  to  him  sweetly. 

"Karl,  will  you  help  me  off  with  my 
cloak?"  she  asked. 

Karl  almost  leaped  toward  her,  but  when 
his  hands  nearly  touched  her  cloak  he  drew 
back,  afraid.  Slowly  he  backed  away  from 
her,  while  she  smiled. 

"Dr.  ]\Iillar,  will  you  help  me  remove  my 
cloak?"  she  asked  sweetly. 

Millar  put  out  his  hands  as  if  to  do  so, 
but  quickly  folded  them  over  his  breast, 
bowed  very  low  and  smiled,  cynically  shak- 
ing his  head. 

Olga  looked  first  at  one  and  then  the  other 
with  her  tantalizing  smile.  The  three  might 
have  been  carved  of  stone,  so  still  were  they 
when  Herman  entered. 

"Hello,  Karl;  I  lost  you  when  I  went  to 
find  Elsa,"  he  said.  "What  are  you  talk- 
ing about?" 

"I  think  we  have  been  discussing  cloaks," 
Millar  said. 

"Oh,  I  see  Olga  is  wearing  one.  Isn't  it 
rather  warm  for  that,  dear?" 


The  Devil  133 

"Yes,  it  is,  but  I  felt  chilly  a  while  ago," 
Olga  answered.  "Will  you  help  me  off  with 
it,  Herman?" 

Herman  stejoped  to  her  side  as  she  loos- 
ened the  clasps,  and  lifted  the  beautiful  fur- 
lined  garment  from  her  shoulders.  She  stood 
before  them  again  in  the  beauty  of  her  shim- 
mering evening  gown,  her  white  arms  and 
shoulders  gleaming,  her  lips  parted  in  a  daz- 
zling smile. 

Karl  did  not  speak.  He  half  involun- 
tarily made  a  step  toward  Olga,  and  she, 
fearing  what  he  might  say,  cried  lightly: 

"Now,  I  have  devoted  too  much  time  to 
you  two.  My  guests  are  departing.  I  must 
go.    Come,  Herman." 


134  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  X 

Herman  took  his  wife's  arm,  and  together 
they  returned  to  the  ballroom.  Karl  watched 
them  disappear  and  turned  on  Millar  as  if 
to  attack  him.  There  was  such  menace  in  his 
manner,  the  frenzied  appearance  of  his  face, 
that  Millar  put  his  hand  behind  him  quickly 
and  half  drew  his  revolver. 

Before  either  spoke,  however,  Elsa  en- 
tered from  the  ballroom.  She  was  in  her 
cloak,  ready  to  leave,  and  said,  holding  out 
her  hand  to  Karl : 

"I  wanted  to  say  good-by." 

Her  voice  seemed  to  awaken  Karl  as  from 
a  bad  dream.  He  took  her  hand  eagerly, 
stepped  forward  impulsively  as  if  he  would 
take  her  in  his  arms  and  kiss  her,  but  Mil- 
lar interposed  himself  between  them,  and  a 
servant  entered  at  the  same  moment. 
Checked  in  his  advance,  Karl  said: 


The  Devil  135 

"I  shall  take  you  to  your  carriage." 

The  servant  announced  that  Elsa's  aunt 
awaited  her.  She  took  Karl's  arm,  and  Mil-" 
lar  directed  the  servant  to  follow  them. 

"The  sidewalk  is  very  slippery,"  he  said. 
"Take  Miss  Elsa's  other  arm." 

He  was  determined  not  to  give  the  beau- 
tiful girl  a  chance  alone  with  Karl.  In  the 
young  artist's  present  excited  state  almost 
anything  might  occur  to  wreck  his  plans. 

As  the  two  went  out,  followed  by  the 
servant,  Olga  came  in  excitedly.  She  looked 
around  to  see  that  Millar  was  alone  and  said : 

"Your  plan  worked  splendidly." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  now?"  asked 
Millar  anxiously,  as  Olga  sat  at  a  table  and 
took  out  writing  materials. 

"I  am  going  to  write  to  him,"  she  an- 
swered, addressing  an  envelope. 

"But  what  w^ill  you  say?" 

"I  shall  tell  him,"  Olga  said  wearily,  with 
her  hands  clasped  to  her  forehead,  "never  to 
speak  to  me  again.  I  never  want  to  see  him. 
He  must  leave  town  immediately.  To  think 
he  believed  me  capable  of -" 

"Of  what?" 


136  The  Devil 

"Ah,  it  is  all  over,"  Olga  cried,  ignoring 
him.  "I  never  want  to  see  him  again,  be- 
cause  " 

"Because  you  love  him?" 

"Oh,  no.  After  what  has  happened  I  hate 
him." 

"I  am  very  sorry,  madam,"  Millar  said 
contritely. 

"You  need  not  be,"  Olga  assured  him.  "I 
am  glad  it  happened.  With  all  your  cyni- 
cism you  are  clever  and  you  have  done  me  a 
great  service.  When  I  know  that  this  letter 
is  in  his  hands  again  I  shall  be  perfectly 
happy,"  she  went  on,  dipping  her  j)en  in  the 
ink-well. 

"You  say  I  have  helped  you;  let  me  ren- 
der you  one  more  service,"  IMillar  urged. 

"What  can  that  be?"  Olga  asked. 

"I  have  begun  this;  let  me  finish  it.  Let 
me  dictate  this  letter.  You  are  excited.  You 
cannot  think  of  things  to  say.  It  must  be 
firm,  strong."  i 

"Yes,  firm,  strong,"  Olga  acquiesced. 

"Undoubtedly,"  Millar  went  on.  "Let 
me  tell  j'-ou  what  to  say." 

Wearily  Olga  yielded  to  his  spell.     She 


By  Permission  of  Henry  W.  Savage. 

"l   HAVE  BEGUN  THIS,   LET  ME  FINISH   IT.      LET  ME  DICTATE 
THIS  LETTER."— Page  136. 


The  Devil  137 

seemed  under  hypnotic  influence  as  she  re- 
plied : 

"Very  well,  I  shall  write  whatever  you 
tell  me  to  say." 

Millar  stood  behind  her  chair,  hovering 
over  her  like  an  evil  spirit.  His  singular, 
expressive  hands  twitched. 

"Good.  I  shall  try  to  express  your 
thoughts,"  he  said.    "Cold,  formal?" 

"Yes,  it  must  be  so,"  Olga  said. 

"It  is  finished  forever?" 

"Forever." 

"Then  write,"  he  ordered. 

She  settled  herself  to  her  task.  Leaning 
over  her,  Millar  suggested  a  sinister  hypno- 
tist bending  a  helpless  victim  to  his  will. 
He  dictated,  while  Olga  wrote: 

"I  have  found  out  what  I  dreaded  to  learn 
— that  you  love  me.  Your  behavior  to-night 
convinced  me.  I  could  not  place  any  other 
interpretation  on  it,  and  my  own  heart  an- 
swered, I  cannot,  dare  not,  see  you  again. 
God  knows  I  want  to ;  I  long  for  the  happi- 
ness that  I  might  find  with  you,  but  I  must 
not.     Only  the  certainty  that  I  am  not  to 


138  The  Devil 

see  you  impels  me  to  this  confession.  Good- 
by  forever." 

When  this  was  finished  Olga  dropped  her 
pen  and  stared  at  the  letter.  Before  she 
could  do  anything,  JMillar  had  taken  the 
sheet  of  paper,  blotted  it,  folded  it  and 
placed  it  within  the  envelope,  which  he  de- 
posited in  his  pocket. 

"What  have  I  written?"  Olga  cried,  be- 
wildered. 

"The  last  letter,"  IMillar  replied,  with  a 
smile  of  triumph.  "I  will  deliver  it  to  Karl," 
he  said. 

Olga  passed  her  hands  wearily  over  her 
eyes,  and  struggled  to  clear  her  mind  of  the 
strange,  intricate  network  of  intrigue,  in- 
sinuation and  suggestion  which  Millar  had 
woven  there.  She  thought  she  was  rid  of 
his  sinister  influence  until  her  fingers  wrote, 
in  obedience  to  his  will,  the  letter  which  she 
would  have  given  anything  to  have  left  un- 
written. 

When  she  looked  up,  INIillar  was  putting 
the  letter  in  his  pocket,  and  his  face  wore 
the  evil,  cynical  smile. 

"I  wrote  it,  yet  I  am  ashamed  of  what  I 


The  Devil  139 

have  written,"  she  faltered,  speaking  with 
difficulty.  "I  tried  to  resist — yes,  I  did — * 
but  my  hands,  my  pen,  followed  your  words. 
You  are  a  very  strange  man." 

"I  will  deliver  the  letter  to  Karl,"  Millar 
Repeated  slowly. 

"You  know  I  did  not  mean  it;  you  know 
1  did  not  want  to  write  it,"  Olga  said. 

"A  woman  does  not  always  write  what  she 
Wants,"  Millar  said  lightly,  "but  she  always 
Wants  what  she  writes." 

"The  letter  was  not  for  him;  it  was  for 
me,"  Olga  insisted. 

She  arose  and  her  hand  was  extended  im- 
ploringly, begging  Millar  to  return  the  mis- 
sive to  her,  when  Herman  entered.  The 
house  had  grown  still.  The  music  was 
hushed,  the  guests  were  gone.  Only  Millar, 
spirit  of  evil,  incarnation  of  the  devil,  re- 
mained. 

"This  is  good  of  you,  to  stay  behind  and 
entertain  the  hostess,"  Herman  said  cor- 
dially. 

"Madam  Hofmann's  conversation  has 
been  so  entertaining  that  I  quite  forgot  the 


140  The  Devil 

time,"  Millar  said,  looking  at  his  watch. 
"By  Jove !  it  is  late ;  I  must  go  immediately." 

"Won't  you  have  some  cognac  before 
you  go  out?  The  night  is  cold,"  Herman 
urged. 

"No,  I  thank  you;  I  have  an  important 
engagement  in  the  morning,  and  it  is  now 
too  late.  JNIadam,  I  must  bid  you  good- 
night. I  have  really  spent  a  very  pleasant 
evening." 

Millar  started  toward  the  door.  Olga  ut- 
tered a  half -suppressed  cry,  and  he  turned 
inquiringly. 

"I  left  a  letter  lying  here  on  the  table; 
did  you,  perhaps,  pick  it  up?"  she  asked 
nervously. 

She  was  almost  weeping  and  spoke  in  a 
half-hysterical  tone.  JNIillar,  without  chan- 
ging countenance,  drew  the  letter  from  his 
pocket. 

"Perhaps  this  is  it,"  he  said,  holding  it 
up.  "If  it  is  of  interest  to  your  hus- 
band  " 

He  made  a  movement  as  if  to  hand  it  to 
Herman.  Fear  clutched  at  Olga's  heart  and 
she  cried  quickly: 


The  Devil  141 

"No,  no,  it  was  not  that;  it  was  nothing." 

She  forced  herself  to  laugh.  Millar 
bowed  with  impressive  politeness  and  left 
the  room.  Herman  bowed  the  strange  guest 
out,  and  then  noticed  for  the  first  time  Olga's 
weariness  and  distress. 

*'You  look  tired,  dear,"  he  said  tenderly. 
"It  has  been  a  long  evening." 

"Yes,  I  am  tired,"  she  said  sadly. 

Her  cheeks  were  flushed  and  her  eyes 
bright.  As  she  stood  leaning  against  the 
table  Herman  thought  her  prettier  than  he 
had  ever  seen  her  before.  He  went  up  to 
her,  took  her  hands  in  his  and  kissed  her. 

"You  seem  excited,  too,"  he  said.  "It 
makes  you  prettier,  and  I  like  it,  my  dear, 
sweet,  darling  wife." 

Olga  shrank  from  his  caress  so  obviously 
that  Herman  was  hurt.  She  withdrew  her 
hands. 

"Please  don't,"  she  said.  "I  am  awfully 
nervous." 

"Your  cheeks  are  burning,  dear,"  he  said, 
touching  them. 

"Don't,  Herman;  I  wish  to  be  alone  for 


142  The  Devil 

a  few  minutes;  to  rest  all  alone.     Please 
leave  me  here." 

"Very  well,  it  shall  be  as  you  wish,"  Her- 
man replied,  adding  as  he  left  the  room : 

"But  it  would  be  better  if  you  went  to 
sleep." 

A  servant  entered,  and  Olga  signed  to  him 
to  extinguish  the  lights.  In  a  few^  moments 
she  was  alone,  in  semi-darkness,  the  room  be- 
ing partially  lighted  by  the  reflected  light 
from  the  garden  lamps.  As  she  sat  there, 
the  tall,  sinister  figure  of  Millar,  in  his  fur 
overcoat  and  his  top  hat,  passed  the  mndow. 

"It  would  be  better  if  I  went  to  sleep," 
Olga  repeated  to  herself  slowlj^ 

Just  then  the  shadow  of  INIillar,  as  he 
passed  in  front  of  one  of  the  garden  lamps, 
was  thro^\Ti  against  the  white  wall  of  the 
room,  and  she  could  hear  distinctly  his 
cynical  chuckle.  With  a  cry  of  horror  she 
raised  herself  to  her  full  height,  put  out  her 
hands  to  ward  off  the  evil  spell,  and  shrieked : 

"A^o!no!no!" 

Then  she  sank  fainting  on  the  floor.  For 
a  moment  the  shadow  lingered  above  her, 
and  faded. 


Tie  Devil  143 

When  Karl  left  the  home  of  Herman  and 
Olga  to  conduct  Elsa  and  her  aunt  to  their 
carriage  he  did  not  return.  He  was  deeply 
ashamed  of  the  suspicion  he  had  entertained, 
and  humiliated  at  the  trick  played  upon  his 
overheated  imagination  by  Millar.  He  could 
not  bear  to  face  Olga  or  his  tormentor. 

Sending  the  servant  back  for  his  over- 
coat and  hat,  he  plunged  along  through  the 
snow,  walking  briskly.  Old  Heinrich  had 
gone  to  bed  when  he  reached  the  studio. 
There  remained  but  a  few  hours  of  the 
night,  but  Karl  could  not  bring  himself  to 
sleep.  He  paced  restlessly  up  and  down 
the  studio,  his  mind  tortured  by  the  thoughts 
so  skilfully  implanted  there  by  Millar. 

He  was  not  surprised  when  the  door  bell 
rang  and  it  was  Millar  whom  he  admitted. 
His  strange  visitor  shook  the  snow  from  his 
great  fur  coat  and  laid  it  aside.  Then  he 
walked  over  to  the  grate  where  the  fire 
burned  cheerfully  and  stood  in  front  of  it, 
rubbing  his  hands  as  he  held  them  out  to  the 
blaze. 

Karl  resumed  his  restless  march  up  and 


lU  TJie  Devil 

down  the  room.  ;Millar  watched  him  cyni- 
cally for  a  few  moments. 

"You  seem  nervous  this  morning,  Karl," 
he  said. 

"I  am  nervous;  I'm  crazy,"  Karl  an- 
swered. 

"You  ought  to  be  very  happy,"  Millar 
insinuated. 

"Ought  to  be  happy!  I  ought  to  be  mis- 
erable— as  I  am,  but  it  is  all  through  your 
evil  machinations.  You  have  made  me  re- 
veal all  that  is  evil  in  me  to  the  woman " 

"To  the  woman  you  love?" 

"Yes,  to  the  woman  I  love  and  have  no 
right  to  love;  to  the  woman  whose  honor  I 
have  held  sacred  for  six  years ;  to  the  woman 
I  must  never  see  again." 

"You  will  see  her  again,"  Millar  asserted 
quietly. 

"How  base  she  must  think  me,"  Karl  went 
on  wildly.  "I  did  not  know  myself;  I  did 
not  dream  that  I  could  be  so  rotten." 

"You  will  see  her  again,"  Millar  repeated. 
"She  will  come  to  you  of  her  own  free  will 
here,  in  this  very  studio,  to-day,  and  she  mil 


The  Devil  145 

tell  you  with  her  lips  on  yours  that  she  loves 
you." 

"Stop!  I  won't  listen  to  your  infernal  in- 
sinuations. You  have  ruined  my  happiness ; 
you  shall  not  ruin  hers.  I  want  you  to  keep 
out  of  her  way.  Do  you  understand?  I 
give  you  fair  warning." 

"My  dear  Karl,  you  don't  know  what  you 
are  saying.  I  shall  not  mar  her  happiness 
or  yours." 

"Why  did  you  play  that  evil  trick  on  me 
to-night?" 

"Why,  you  dull,  young  artist?  Because  I 
wanted  to  show  her  that  you  loved  her;  that 
you  cared  not  two  straws  for  that  little  slip 
of  a  girl  to  whom  you  were  trying  to  play 
devoted.  Because  I  wanted  to  show  her 
that  her  great  love  is  not  wasted  on  an 
empty-pated  ass." 

"Her  love!" 

"Of  course.  Her  love.  She  loves  you, 
and  has  loved  you  for  six  years,  and  you 
were  blind  and  did  not  know  it." 

"It  is  not  true.  It  must  not  be  so.  She 
is  a  true,  loyal  wife  to  my  friend." 

"Bah!    Do  you  want  her  to  be  loyal  to 


146  The  Devil 

that  big  boor  of  a  husband  when  she  loves 
you?" 

"I  refuse  to  listen  to  j^ou  any  further. 
Now,  let  me  tell  you  this.  I  am  going  away. 
I  shall  not  see  Olga  again.  I  shall  close  my 
studio  and  return  to  Paris.  And  I  wish 
not  to  see  you  again.  Do  you  understand? 
I  am  going  to  bed  now.  When  I  awake  I 
want  you  to  be  gone.  Don't  let  me  find  you 
here." 

"You  are  not  hospitable,  my  dear  j^oung 
friend,"  Millar  said,  smiling  and  bowing. 
He  seemed  genuinely  amused  at  the  pas- 
sionate outburst  of  the  young  artist. 

"I  believe  you  are  the  devil!"  Karl  cried. 

"And  you  don't  find  the  devil  a  pleasing 
personage  to  look  upon,  except  when  he  is 
decked  out  by  poets  in  the  disguise  of 
Cupid,"  Millar  sneered. 

Karl  abruptly  left  the  room,  going  into 
his  owTi  room  and  locking  the  door.  He 
threw  himself  upon  the  bed  and  tried  to 
sleep,  but  for  hours  he  lay  awake,  hamited 
by  the  sinister  shadow  of  his  temptation. 

Left  alone,  IMillar  sank  comfortably  back 
in  the  big,  Gothic  arm-chair  before  the  fire. 


The  Devil  147 

The  red  glow  of  the  flames  seemed  to  absorb 
him.  He  was  merged  in  the  shadows — Hght 
and  shadow,  as  they  played  around  the  big 
chair,  from  whence  there  came  his  devilish 
chuckle. 

'^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^ 

Olga's  maid,  alarmed  at  the  prolonged  ab- 
sence of  her  mistress,  found  her  moaning  on 
the  floor,  where  she  had  fallen  in  a  swoon 
after  Millar's  departure.  The  maid  helped 
her  mistress  to  her  room  and  to  bed. 

"As  soon  as  it  is  daylight  go  to  Monsieur 
Karl's  studio  and  find  out  at  what  time  he 
will  arise.  Let  no  one  else  know  that  you 
go  there.  And  awaken  me  as  soon  as  it  is 
possible  for  me  to  see  him." 

"Yes,  madam." 

Olga  meant  to  get  to  Karl  to  intercept  the 
letter  which  Millar  had  tricked  her  into  writ- 
ing. She  meant  to  tell  him  to  go  away; 
to  end  everything  between  them.  But,  al- 
though she  did  not  know  it,  she  was  blindly 
obeying  the  evil  will  of  Millar. 

Broad,  glaring  dajdight  had  come  when 
Heinrich  entered  the  reception-room  of  the 


148  The  Devil 

studio.  He  divined  no  presence.  There  were 
no  conflicting  passions  in  his  old  heart.  He 
pottered  about,  humming  an  old  song  to  him- 
self, dusting  the  vases  and  paintings,  stir- 
ring the  slumbering  fire,  until  the  door  bell 
rang. 

He  admitted  to  the  anteroom  a  beautiful 
young  woman  whom  he  had  never  seen  be- 
fore. When  he  returned  to  the  reception- 
room  to  ruminate  on  the  situation  he  was 
confronted  by  the  figure  of  Millar — the  fig- 
ure of  the  devil. 

"I — I  beg  your  pardon;  I  did  not  know 
you  were  here,"  he  said. 

"I  am  here,"  Millar  responded  cheerfully. 
"Who  ra^g?" 

"A  lady,  sir." 

"A  real  lady?" 

"Oh,  yes,  sir." 

"That's  odd.    What  does  she  want?" 

"She  wants  to  see  my  master,  sir,  Mr. 
Karl." 

Heinrich  hurried  out  and  ushered  in  Elsa. 
The  poor  little  girl  had  lost  her  bravado 
of  the  night  before.  She  was  ready  to  hum- 
ble herself.     She  was  stricken  with  the  ter- 


The  Devil  149 

rible  malady.  She  was  in  love;  she  ac- 
knowledged it  to  herself,  and  she  knew  that 
the  man  she  loved  had  his  heart  elsewhere. 
But  she  had  resolved  to  make  a  fight — to 
win  him  if  she  could,  and  she  had  taken  this 
desperate  move. 

She  was  startled,  though,  when  she  was 
ushered  into  the  reception-room  and  saw 
Millar  there,  his  hands  on  his  breast,  bow- 
ing profoundly. 

"You  seem  to  be  everywhere,'*  she  ex- 
claimed. "What  are  you  doing  here?  Are 
you  Karl's  secretary?" 

Millar  was  transformed  back  into  his 
frock  coat,  his  immaculate  trousers,  his  wine- 
colored  waistcoat.  He  was  again  the  pol- 
ished, suave,  affable  gentleman  of  the  aft- 
ernoon, with  ingratiating  manner,  cynical 
smile  and  insinuating  words. 

"No,  I  am  not  Karl's  servant;  only  his 
friend,"  he  said.  "How  are  you  feeling  to- 
day?" 

"Oh,  very  well,  thank  you.  I  did  not 
know  there  was  any  one  in  here  or  I  should 
have  waited  outside.  But  as  it  is  only  you 
I  do  not  mind." 


15a  The  Devil 

She  resented  the  presence  of  this  man  in 
the  place,  and  she  took  a  seat,  turning  her 
back  to  him.  Millar,  not  in  the  least  dis- 
turbed, said: 

"Karl  got  in  very  late  this  morning." 

"I  assume  that  he  did;  it  was  very  late 
when  the  ball  ended." 

"Still,  I  think  he  would  be  very  much 
pleased  to  know  that  you  are  here.  Will 
you  permit  me  to  acquaint  him  of  the  pleas- 
ure that  awaits  him?" 

"Thank  you,  no;  I  will  wait  for  him  here. 
This  is  an  interesting  room.  I  have  never 
been  here  before." 

"I  know  that,"  Millar  said. 

"How  do  you  know  it?"  Elsa  demanded 
with  spirit. 

"Oh,  Heinrich  told  me.  A  lady  may  come 
here  secretly  every  day,  but  when  she  comes 
the  first  time  it  cannot  be  secret,  even  to 
Heinrich." 

"I  wish  I  had  not  come  alone,"  Elsa  de- 
clared. 

"I  know  that  also,"  said  the  impertur- 
bable Millar. 

"How  do  you  know  that?" 


The  Devil  151 

"Oh,  Heinrich  told  me  there  was  a  real 
lady  waiting." 

"I  am  glad  at  least  that  Heinrich  recog- 
nized me  as  such,"  Elsa  declared  indignant- 
ly. "He  is  the  only  one  who  has  spoken  to 
me  as  if  he  realized  that." 

"Then  he  must  have  thought  you  the  other 
kind,"  Millar  said  cynically.  "Heinrich 
made  a  mistake." 

"I  think  Heinrich  is  the  better  judge," 
Elsa  said. 

"An  excellent  judge,  I  grant  you,"  Mil- 
lar said,  laughing.  "He  is  the  one  man 
who  should  have  brought  you  here.  You 
know  only  two  men  have  the  right  to  open 
the  door  of  a  bachelor  apartment  to  a  young 
lady.  They  are  his  valet  and  the  clergyman. 
You  may  choose  which  of  the  two  you  would 
prefer." 

Elsa  turned  on  him  with  eyes  that  flashed 
indignation. 

"I  was  once  left  alone  with  a  man  who 
kissed  me,  and  I  insulted  him,"  she  said. 

"I  was  once  alone  with  a  lady  who  in- 
sulted me  and  I  kissed  her,"  the  cynical  per- 
son replied. 


152  The  Devil 

"You  are  horrible!"  Elsa  exclaimed. 

Millar  saw  her  distress  and  rang  the  bell. 
When  Heinrich  entered  he  said: 

"Get  a  little  red  leather  pocketbook  out 
of  my  overcoat." 

"Oh,  you  need  not  fear;  I  shall  not  cry 
this  morning,"  Elsa  said. 

"I  am  not  apprehensive,  but  I  thought 
you  were  laughing,"  ^lillar  said.  "When 
girls  laugh  I  fear  they  are  going  to  cry. 
Why  did  you  come  here?" 

"I  want  to  have  my  portrait  painted,  and 
I  shall  come  every  day,"  Elsa  replied. 

"You  mean  you  want  to  come  every  day, 
and  therefore  you  will  have  to  have  j^our  por- 
trait painted,"  said  the  cynic. 

"You  are  an  expert  word  juggler,"  said 
Elsa. 

"Do  you  know  that  another  lady  comes 
here  to  have  her  portrait  painted?" 

"Yes;  that  is  why  I  am  coming,"  Elsa 
declared  boldly.  "I  want  to  see  whose  por- 
trait will  be  better." 

"That  is  a  bold  challenge,  my  little  girl; 
you  were  not  so  brave  yesterday." 


The  Devil  153 

^'Yesterday  I  was  undecided.  To-day  I 
have  made  up  my  mind  to  fight.  You  gave 
me  good  advice." 

"I  have  some  more  advice  to  give  you  to- 
day; we  did  not  finish  last  night." 

"What  is  it?" 

"It  is  this.  Do  not  fight.  You  were  not 
made  to  fight." 

"Why  not?    I  am  courageous." 

"Yes,  you  are  courageous,  but  you  are 
not  strong.  Don't  fight,  because  you  will 
batter  yourself  against  an  impenetrable  wall 
and  suffer  defeat.  Do  you  knov/  where 
Karl's  heart  is?" 

"No." 

"Then  let  me  tell  you.  He  loves  Olga. 
He  cannot  love  any  one  else.  He  has  no 
room  in  his  heart  for  any  other  image.  Do 
not  make  sorrow  for  yourself,  my  child. 
Forget.  Go  away.  Karl  is  the  man  for 
another  woman." 

Elsa  was  courageous.  She  had  set  aside 
her  conventional  training  and  ideas  when  she 
came  to  the  studio  to  see  Karl — to  fight  for 
him.    Now  she  resolved  that  Millar  should 


154  The  Devil 

not  defeat  her  again.  She  looked  at  him 
squarely  and  said: 

"In  spite  of  all  that  you  tell  me,  I  shall 
not  give  up." 

In  spite  of  her  resolve  to  fight  she  was  on 
the  verge  of  tears.  She  sat  at  a  table,  shrink- 
ing from  the  sinister  figure  before  her.  Mil- 
lar insj)ired  her  with  a  nameless  terror,  and 
it  was  almost  against  her  will  that  she  lis- 
tened. 

"Let  me  tell  you  what  you  must  do,"  he 
said,  sitting  down  in  front  of  her.  "Do  you 
know  what  you  should  do?" 

"I  don't  like  to  have  you  sit  in  judgment 
on  me  this  way,"  she  protested.  "You  ques- 
tion me  as  if  you  were  a  judge." 

"No,  it  is  not  that,  but  you  answer  as  if 
you  were  a  prisoner.  Now,  little  Elsa,  stand 
up  and  listen.  You  know  that  Karl  is  in 
love  with  Olga." 

"Yes,  I  know  it;  it  is  the  only  thing  I  do 
know." 

"Then  you  should  give  Karl  up." 

"I  can't  give  him  up." 

"You  must  learn." 

"How?    From  whom  shall  I  learn?" 


The  Devil  155 

"Let  me  see;  I  think  I  have  here  the  very 
person,"  Millar  said. 

He  walked  over  and  opened  the  hall  door. 

"Mimi,  come  in  here  and  wait;  it  is 
warmer,"  he  called. 


156  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  XI 

To  THE  amazement  of  Elsa,  the  shrinking 
little  model  came  in,  hesitating  on  the  thresh- 
old. She  wore  a  red  woolen  jersey  over  her 
bodice  that  fitted  her  tightly  and  made  her 
look  very  slight  and  shivering.  She  looked 
with  wide-open  eyes  at  the  beautiful  girl  and 
dropped  a  courtesy  as  she  sat  in  the  seat  JMil- 
lar  drew  out  for  her.  Elsa  nodded  at  her 
in  silence,  and  JNIillar,  after  watching  them  a 
few  seconds  with  a  smile  of  amusement, 
walked  out  of  the  room,  whistling  softly. 
Mimi  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence, 
squirming  under  Elsa's  direct  scrutiny. 

"Madam  is  waiting  for  the  artist?" 

"Yes,"  Elsa  replied  shortly. 

*'So  am  I,"  Mimi  said,  adding,  with  en- 
gaging frankness : 

"He  went  on  a  si)ree  last  night.  When  he 
does  that  he  always  sleeps  late." 


The  Devil  157 

Elsa  was  embarrassed,  and  there  was  an- 
other interval  of  silence.    Then  Mimi  said: 

"Is  madam  to  have  her  portrait  painted?" 
■■     "Yes." 

"I  know  all  those  who  come  here  to  be 
painted,"  Mimi  went  on.  "This  is  quite  like 
home  to  me.  I  am  his  model.  I  don't  have 
to  pay  for  my  portraits.  Madam  has  a  splen- 
did profile." 

"Please  do  not  call  me  madam,"  Elsa  said 
impatiently.     "I  am  miss,  like  yourself." 

"I  beg  j^our  pardon,"  Mimi  said.  "I  am 
not  madam,  either.    3Iy  name  is  Mimi." 

"My  name  is  Elsa." 

"Oh,  I  know;  I  have  heard  of  you.  You 
are  very  rich  as  well  as  very  beautiful.  I 
know  what  it  means  to  be  rich.  Once  our 
family  was  well  off,  and  I  did  not  have  to 
work  as  a  model." 

"I  am  sorry  you  have  been  unfortunate," 
Elsa  said. 

"But  I  have  heard  much  of  you,"  the  girl 
went  on.  She  was  now  tremendously  in- 
terested in  this  beautiful  woman  whose  com- 
ing, she  believed,  meant  that  she  would  no 
longer  be  Karl's  model.    "You  see,  I  know 


158  The  Devil 

all  the  things  that  go  on  here ;  I  look  out  for 
the  artist's  laundrj^  and  sew  his  buttons  on; 
and  I  almost  know  his  thoughts." 

"And  do  they  interest  you?" 

"Oh,  yes ;  but  it  will  not  be  so  any  more." 

"Why  not?" 

"Because  he  is  to  be  married;  because  you 
have  come  and  he  will  not  need  me." 

"Why  not?  He  will  still  paint.  He  must 
have  models." 

"Yes,  but  it  will  not  be  the  same,  and  I 
will  not  come  any  more." 

"Do  you  like  Monsieur  Karl?" 

"Very  much." 

"Does  he  paint  you  now?" 

"Ah,  no ;  nothing  but  landscapes." 

"Then  you  did  not  come  as  a  model  to- 
day?" Elsa  asked. 

"I  come  always  as  a  model.  If  the  artist 
does  not  treat  me  as  such  it  is  not  my  fault." 

She  noticed  that  Elsa  looked  offended,  and 
went  on  hurriedly,  apologetically : 

"Please,  if  I  offend  you  I  will  be  quietc 
But  you  seem  to  be  so  nice.  If  I  were  you 
and  you  were  the  model  I  should  not  be 
angry  with  you." 


The  Devil  159 

Elsa  was  touched  by  the  pathos  in  Mimi's 
eyes. 

"Pardon  me;  I  am  Yevy,  very  sorry  if  I 
have  hurt  you,"  she  cried  impulsively.  "Let 
us  be  friends." 

"Yes,  let's,"  Mimi  cried.  "You  can  talk 
to  me  about  everything.  I  am  not  a  bad 
sort,  but  I  have  known  him  for  a  long  while. 
I  was  crying  when  I  went  away  yesterday 
and  he  felt  sorry  for  me.  He  came  to  the 
house  on  his  way  to  the  ball  last  night  in  his 
evening  clothes,  but  I  would  not  see  him. 
It  must  be  finished." 

"Was  he  fond  of  you?" 

"I  liked  him  very  much,"  Mimi  replied 
simply. 

"And  now?" 

"All,  now  it  is  different.  If  a  man  wants 
to  have  another  sweetheart,  what  can  we  do? 
It  is  like  the  railway.  The  train  comes  in 
and  goes  and  the  little  station  must  wait  until 
another  train  comes." 

"And  you  are  going  to  wait  for  another 
train  ?  You  were  fond  of  him  and  can  speak 
like  that?" 

"I  was  fond  of  him,"  Mimi  said.    "But  I 


160  The  Devil 

am  not  silly  enough  to  believe  it  will  last 
just  because  I  wanted  it  to  last.  I  knew 
when  it  started  that  I  should  have  to  give 
him  up  some  day.  I  have  learned  that.  I 
shall  forget  him — and  hope  that  he  and  you 
will  be  hai)py." 

jSIimi's  tears  came  unrestrainedly  now, 
and  as  she  looked  for  her  handkerchief  Elsa 
picked  up  ^lillar's  weeping  satchel,  where 
he  had  left  it  on  the  table,  and  gave  it  to 
the  model.  IMimi  dabbed  vigorously  at  her 
streaming  eyes. 

"I  am  glad  that  I  met  you  here,"  she  said 
when  she  could  control  her  voice.  "I  shall 
be  clever  to-day  and  not  see  him  at  all.  I 
will  go  away  now  and  never  come  back. 
What  time  is  it?" 

"It  is  3  o'clock,"  Elsa  said,  looking  at  her 
watch. 

"Then  I  must  go.  Another  artist  in  the 
next  block  exi3ects  me  to  pose  for  him,  and 
his  laundress  comes  at  3.    He  is  Yery  clever." 

She  stood  up  and  looked  around  the  room 
at  the  things  on  the  walls — her  own  pictures 
— the  place  that  seemed  like  home  to  her. 
She  sobbed  as  she  started  toward  the  door. 


The  Devil  161 

"Good-by,  miss,"  she  said. 

Elsa  looked  after  her  as  she  went  out. 
Then  she  looked  around  the  room  and  was 
seized  with  panic. 

"Mimi!  Mimi!"  she  called  out. 

The  model  did  not  return.  Elsa  seized 
her  hat  and  fled,  just  as  Millar  entered  from 
the  adjoining  room.  His  chuckle  of  satanic 
amusement  reached  her  as  she  hurried  from 
the  house. 


162  Tlie  Devil 


CHAPTER  XII 

Millar's  sardonic  face  was  wreathed  in 
smiles  as  he  looked  after  the  two  young  girls, 
each  of  whom  carried  from  his  hateful  pres- 
ence a  bruised  heart. 

With  Mimi  it  was  the  fate  of  a  child  of 
the  underworld — something  to  which  she  was 
pathetically  resigned.  With  her  there  was 
no  struggle.  She  knew  that  when  she  ceased 
to  charm  she  must  go  her  way  and  find  an- 
other man;  a  master  rather  than  a  sweet- 
heart. 

Elsa  could  not  have  told  herself  what  fear 
made  her  fly  from  the  studio  after  Mimi,  but 
she  feared  that  she  was  also  doomed  to  give 
up  the  hope  of  her  heart.  It  was  her  first 
cruel  disappointment,  but  Mimi  had  made 
her  see  that  she  was  beaten,  and,  in  spite  of 
her  earlier  resolution  to  fight,  she  saw  that 
fighting  would  bring  only  unliappiness.  She 


The  Devil  163 

hurried  to  her  waiting  carriage  and  was 
driven  home,  where  she  locked  herself  in  her 
room  to  weep  alone. 

And  Millar,  the  sinister  being,  ever  at 
hand  with  his  insidiously  evil  suggestions, 
chuckled  as  he  watched  them  go.  He  threw 
himself  into  a  chair  and  rang  the  bell  for 
Heinrich.  The  old  servant  entered  rebel- 
liously,  but,  trained  to  habits  of  obedience, 
he  could  not  give  expression  to  his  feeling 
of  hatred  and  distrust  of  his  master's  strange 
visitor.  As  for  Millar,  he  even  seemed  to 
find  something  amusing  in  the  old  man's 
obvious  aversion. 

"Bring  me  tea  and  brandy,"  he  ordered 
peremptorily. 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Is  your  master  up?'* 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Has  any  one  seen  him  this  morning?" 

"No,  sir.  Madam  Hofmann's  maid  was 
here  three  times." 

"What  for?"  Millar  demanded  quickly. 

"She  wished  to  Imow  when  Madam  Hof- 
mann  might  see  Mr.  Karl.  I  told  her  I  had 
strict  orders  not  to  call  him  before  3  o'clock." 


164  The  Devil 

Millar  looked  at  his  watch  and  saw  that 
it  was  a  few  minutes  after  3  o'clock. 

"Humph!  We  shall  have  another  visitor 
shortly,"  he  muttered.  "I  think  I  begin  to 
see  the  completion  of  my  work.  It  shall  be 
this  afternoon.  Get  my  tea,"  he  added  to 
Heinrich,  "and  serve  it  in  the  studio." 

The  old  m.an  went  out.  Millar  paced 
slowly  up  and  down  the  floor,  looking  at  his 
watch,  until  he  heard  the  door  bell  ring. 

"The  beautiful  Olga,"  he  said,  stepping 
softly  from  the  reception-room  into  the 
studio  and  leaving  the  way  clear  for  Olga, 

She  was  admitted  by  Heinrich.  She  hur- 
ried into  the  room,  looked  wildly  about  her 
and  sank  into  a  seat.  For  a  moment  she 
could  not  speak. 

All  night  and  all  day,  since  INIillar's  shad- 
ow hovered  above  her  fainting  form  in  her 
own  home,  shejiad  been  torn  by  the  emotions 
raised  by  the  letter.  It  was  a  confession  she 
had  never  meant  to  make.  She  dreaded  the 
thought  of  Karl  ever  seeing  it. 
Heinrich  waited  respectfully. 

"Is  Mr.   Karl  at  home?"  she  asked, 

"Yes,  madam." 


Tlie  Devil  165 

"My  maid  told  me  he  could  not  be  seen 
until  3  o'clock.  It  is  now  after  3.  May  I 
see  him?" 

"If  you  will  wait  a  few  minutes  longer, 
madam,  I  will  tell  him  that  you  are  here." 

Heinrich  started  toward  the  studio. 

"One  moment,"  Olga  called  after  him. 
"Has  any  one  seen  Mr.  Karl  to-day?" 

"No,  madam." 

"Has  he  received  no  letter?" 

"No,  madam." 

"Thank  God!"  she  exclaimed  fervently. 
"Go,  Heinrich;  tell  him  I  am  in  a  great  hur- 
ry and  must  see  him  at  once." 

"I  am  afraid,  madam,  you  will  have  to 
wait  a  few  minutes  for  Mr.  Karl  to  dress," 
Heinrich  said.  "Shall  I  tell  Dr.  Millar  you 
are  here?" 

"Who?"  Olga  cried,  springing  up  in 
dread. 

"Dr.  Millar;  the  gentleman  who  was  here 
yesterday,"  Heinrich  said. 

"Is  he  with  your  master?"  Olga  cried  in 
fright. 

"Yes,  madam." 

"Oh,  God!  am  I  too  late?    Tell  me,  did 


166  The  Devil 

you  see  Dr.  jMillar  give  a  letter  to  your 
master?" 

"He  may  have  done  so,  madam.  I  can- 
not remember." 

Olga  walked  nervously  up  and  down  the 
room,  while  Heinrich  waited,  sj^mpathizing 
at  her  distress.  The  old  man  was  mystified, 
but  he  felt  that  INIillar  was  to  blame  for  the 
grief  which  his  young  master's  beautiful  visi- 
tor showed. 

"It  maj^  not  be  too  late,"  Olga  cried  to 
herself.    Then  she  said  to  Heinrich: 

"Please  tell  Dr.  JMillar  to  come  down. 
Do  not  tell  him  who  is  here;  simply  say  a 
lady  wishes  to  see  him  at  once." 

"Yes,  madam." 

Heinrich  withdrew,  leaving  Olga,  with 
clenched  hands  and  twitching  features,  walk- 
ing up  and  down  the  room.  It  was  thus  JMil- 
lar saw  her  as  he  entered,  with  his  cynical 
smile,  at  which  she  shuddered. 

"You  are  the  lady  who  wished  to  see  me 
at  once?"  he  asked,  with  his  most  polite  bow. 
"I  am  honored,  madam." 

"Yes,  I  sent  for  j^ou,"  Olga  said,  not 
knowing  how  to  begin. 


The  Devil  167 

"And  what  may  I  do  for  you?'* 

"Please  tell  me  quickly — I  am  trembling 

— did  you " 

"Yes,  dear  lady,  I  delivered  your  letter." 
Olga  sank  into  her  chair  and  covered  her 
face  with  her  hands,  while  dry,  tearless  sobs 
shook  her  body.  Millar  looked  at  her  un- 
moved, and  as  Heinrich  entered  with  the  tea 
tray  he  turned  coolly  to  the  old  servant. 

"Put  that  tea  here,"  he  said,  indicating 
a  table  near  Olga.  "And  the  brandy. 
Thank  you.    You  may  go." 

He  poured  himself  a  cup  of  tea  and  began 
to  sip  it,  looking  the  while  at  the  terrified 
woman  before  him. 


168  The  Devil 


CHAPTER  XIII 

It  was  the  moment  of  Millar's  complete 
triumph,  and  he  gloated  over  Olga  as  she 
sat  there,  her  trembling  hands  covering  her 
face,  much  as  a  large  cat  gloats  over  a  mouse, 
helpless  beneath  his  paws.  He  lied  deliber- 
ately about  the  letter,  which  even  then  re- 
posed in  the  inside  pocket  of  his  immaculate 
frock  coat.  But  he  reserved  it  for  a  final 
coup.  He  knew  that  Olga,  believing  Karl 
was  in  possession  of  the  letter,  would  yield  to 
the  inevitable;  that  she  would  again  confess 
her  love,  even  to  Karl  himself,  and  that  only 
a  miracle  of  resolution  and  faith  and 
strength  could  save  the  two  young  people 
from  the  abyss  of  dishonor  and  unhappiness 
into  which  he  was  about  to  plunge  them. 

He  sipped  his  tea  in  silence.  Several  mo- 
ments elapsed  before  Olga  was  able  to  con- 
trol herself.    Then  she  asked,  without  look- 


The  Devil  169 

ing  at  Millar,  and  her  voice  was  dry  with 
pain: 

"Did— did  Karl  read  the  letter?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  Millar  said,  with  another  sip 
of  tea. 

"Oh,  God!  too  late!"  she  cried. 

Millar  arose  and  stood  behind  Olga's 
chair,  leaning  over  her  and  speaking  in  a 
soft,  low  voice. 

"After  he  read  the  letter  he  buried  his  face 
in  his  pillow  and  wept,"  he  said. 

"He  wept?" 

"Yes;  he  .wept  with  joy.  I  do  not  like 
men  who  weep." 

Olga  did  not  heed  his  flippancy.  She 
looked  up  at  him  imploringly. 

"I  did  not  want  him  to  get  that  letter," 
she  said.  "I  came  to  ask  him  to  give  it  back 
to  me  unopened.    I  am  too  late." 

"It  is  not  j^ou  who  are  too  late;  it  was  I 
who  was  too  early,"  Millar  said  deprecating- 

ly. 

"Oh,  is  this  life  really  a  serious  matter?" 
Olga  exclaimed;  "when  everything  can  de- 
pend upon  one's  getting  here  a  few  moments 
before  or  a  few  minutes  after  3  o'clock?" 


170  The  Devil 

''That  is  it  exactly,"  JNIillar  said.  "We 
should  not  take  it  so  seriously." 

Olga  looked  thoughtfully  away  from  him 
and  said  to  herself  softly : 

"He  wept." 

"From  joy,"  Millar  repeated  after  her,  in 
the  same  soft  voice. 

"I  am  afraid  to  speak  to  him,  and  yet  I 
must,"  Olga  cried,  starting  up.  "I  would 
like  to  go  far,  far  away,  but  I  cannot.  Some- 
thing seems  to  hold  me  here.  I  cannot,  can- 
not go.    What  will  become  of  me?" 

"You  will  be  very  happy  and  will  make 
Karl  very  happ)^,"  ]Millar  said. 

Heinrich  entered  and  took  the  tea-things. 

"Mr.  Karl  will  be  down  in  a  moment,"  he 
said. 

Olga  clasped  her  hands  tragically  and 
turned  an  imploring  face  on  JMillar,  who 
started  for  the  studio  door. 

"Good-by,"  he  said.  "I  will  leave  you  to 
speak  to  Karl  alone." 

"Please  don't  go,"  Olga  implored. 

"I  can  hardly  remain  mider  the  circum- 
stances," he  said. 

He  knew  that  to  further  his  design  Karl 


The  Devil  171 

and  Olga  should  meet  quite  alone.  He 
would  see  to  it  that  even  old  Heinrich  did 
not  interrupt  them  until  Olga  had  repeated 
her  confession  of  love,  and  the  hoax  of  the 
letter  had  been  revealed.  Then  he  would  re- 
appear, with  the  letter^  and  they  might  read 
it  together. 

Olga  knew  that  her  o^vn  frail,  feminine 
heart  would  give  way  if  she  were  left  alone 
to  meet  Karl.  Evil  as  she  believed  Millar 
to  be,  yet  she  dreaded  his  going  now. 

"I  am  afraid  to  be  alone  with  him,"  she 
said.    "Won't  you  please  stay?" 

"But  if  I  stay,  how  could  you  speak  to 
Karl  about  the  letter?"  Millar  asked.  "And 
you  must  say  something  about  it,  you  know. 
I  would  only  be  in  the  way." 

Olga  weakened  and  began  to  pace  the 
floor  again. 

"Well,  I  shall  be  quite  frank  with  him," 
she  said.  "I  shall  be  honest.  I  shall  ask 
him  for  the  last  time " 

Karl's  voice  was  heard  in  his  own  room, 
calling  to  Heinrich. 

"He  is  coming,"  Millar  said.    "I  will  leave 

you." 


172  Tlic  Devil 

"Please  don't  go  very  far  away,"  Olga 
implored. 

"I  shall  be  here,"  Millar  said,  going  to  a 
small  anteroom  adjoining  the  studio.  "If 
you  need  me,  call." 

He  stepped  within  the  other  room  and 
closed  the  door  softly.  Olga  stood,  her  hands 
gripping  the  back  of  her  chair,  waiting. 

Karl  entered  the  reception-room  and  stood 
for  an  instant  looking  at  Olga.  He  showed 
that  he,  too,  had  suffered  during  the  night. 
His  face  was  white  and  drawn.  When  he 
saw  Olga  standing  there,  a  mute  statue  of 
despair,  he  was  filled  with  pity  for  her  and 
self-abasement.  He  stepped  quicldy  to  her 
side,  caught  her  hands  and  kissed  them  pas- 
sionately. 

"I  ought  to  go  down  on  my  knees  and  beg 
your  pardon  for  my  conduct  last  night, 
Olga,"  he  said. 

She  turned  to  him  quickly,  yielding  her 
hands  to  him,  leaning  toward  him,  speaking 
eagerly. 

"Speak  very  low;  he  is  in  there,"  she  said, 
pointing  to  the  anteroom  where  Millar  was 
hiding.    "Let  us  be  brief,  Karl.    I  have  been 


By  Permission  of  Henry  W.  Savage. 

"l  WANTED   TO   FEEL  THAT  YOU   LOVED   JIE  AS   I   HOPED 
YOU  DID."— Ptitre  173. 


Tlie  Devil  173 

very  foolish,  but  I  could  not  control  myself. 
After  what  happened  I  wanted  to  know.  I 
wanted  to  feel  that  you  loved  me  as  I 
thought  you  did,  as  I  hoped  you  did,  day 
and  night,  every  minute." 

"Olga!"  he  exclaimed  rapturously. 

He  was  not  prepared  for  this.  He  feared 
that  he  had  offended  her,  and  her  impulsive 
declaration  swept  him  from  his  feet.  He 
watched  her  face  eagerly,  hungrilj'',  as  she 
went  on,  talking  very  rapidly,  and  making 
no  effort  to  disengage  her  hands,  which  he 
held  clasped  to  his  breast. 

"Everj^thing  has  changed  since  yesterday, 
Karl.  But  let  us  try  to  repeat  what  we  said 
then.  Let  us  shake  hands  honorably.  Let 
us  try  to  be  strong  and  keep  our  promises,  as 
we  have  kept  them  so  long,  Karl.  If  I  have 
been  bold  and  frivolous  it  was  only  because 
I  wanted  to  know  what  you  thought  of  me; 
nothing  else.  But  I  am  afraid  I  have  been 
punished  too  much." 

Her  passion  swept  her  along,  as  she  was 
swayed  alternately  by  love  for  Karl  and  the 
saner  impulse  to  flee  from  him.  But  the 
sweetness  of  knowing  that  she  was  loved,  of 


174  The  Devil 

feeling  her  hands  clasped  in  his,  after  all  her 
years  of  self-depression,  broke  down  her 
resolution. 

"I  fear  it  is  too  late,  Karl.  My  strength 
is  gone.  My  will  is  lost.  We  have  gone 
back  six  years.    Karl,  I  love  you." 


The  Devil  175 


CHAPTER  XIV 

The  last  words  she  whispered  with  infinite 
tenderness,  and  her  head  fell  on  his  breast. 
Hysterically  they  clasped  each  other  in  their 
arms  and,  half  laughing,  half  sobbing,  looked 
into  each  other's  eyes.  Karl  leaned  over  her, 
murmuring  his  love  and  kissing  her  eyes  and 
hair. 

"Be  careful;  he  is  in  there,"  Olga  warned 
him  finally,  again  pointing  at  the  door  be- 
hind which  their  evil  spirit  lurked.  Then  she 
whispered  shyly: 

"Did  my  letter  surprise  you?'* 
'     "Letter?"  Karl  asked,  astonished.    "What 
letter,  dear  heart?" 

"Karl,  I  understand  you  wish  to  be  dis- 
creet," Olga  said  reproachfully,  "but  it  is 
my  first  letter  and  I  am  not  ashamed.  Let 
us  be  honest;  I  am  not  afraid.  I  love  you. 
When  I  wrote  that  letter  I  hardly  knew 


176  The  Devil 

what  I  was  doing,  and  I  must  confess  I  felt 
ashamed  at  first.  But  I  am  no  longer 
ashamed  now;  I  am  proud.  Sometimes 
women  do  not  write  what  they  want,  Karl, 
but  they  always  want  what  they  write. 
Karl,  I  would  like  to  read  that  letter  over 
again  in  your  arms." 

That  letter  meant  much  to  Olga;  it  was 
her  only  love  letter.  She  had  never  written 
to  Karl  before,  except  in  the  conventional 
boy  and  girl  fashion,  when  she  did  not  know 
how  to  express  love.  Her  correspondence 
with  Herman  had  always  been  of  the  most 
perfunctory  sort.  Never  before  had  she 
poured  out  her  soul  as  she  did  in  this  letter. 
Now  she  wanted  to  see  what  she  had  written ; 
to  read  it  over  wdth  the  man  for  whom  it  was 
intended. 

It  was  with  a  shock  of  pain  that  she  be- 
held Karl's  indifference,  and  she  was  amazed 
when  he  added: 

"I  received  no  letter  from  you,  Olga." 

"What!  how  can  you  say  so?  Was  not 
a  letter  delivered  to  you  this  morning?" 

"I  assure  you  that  I  did  not  receive  any 
letter  from  you,"  Karl  said  earnestly. 

The  realization  of  Millar's  trick  was  like 


The  Devil  177 

a  blow  in  the  face  to  Olga.  She  saw  now 
how  he  had  deliberately  lied  to  her,  in  order 
that  she  would  certainly  repeat  her  con- 
fession of  love  to  Karl.  In  what  a  bold,  for- 
ward, disloyal  attitude  she  had  been  placed! 
Her  first  impulse  was  of  anger,  and  she  ran 
toward  the  anteroom. 

"Doctor!    Dr.  Millar!"  she  called  wildly. 

The  door  opened  noiselessly  and  Millar 
stood  bowing  on  the  threshold. 

"My — my  letter!"  Olga  stammered. 

"Madam,  I  beg  a  thousand  pardons," 
Millar  said  suavely.  "My  only  excuse  is 
that  some  letters  are  better  undelivered." 

He  drew  from  the  inner  pocket  of  his  coat 
a  letter,  and  with  a  smile  and  a  sweej)ing 
bow  handed  it  to  Karl. 

"However,  I  can  now  make  reparation," 
he  said. 

Karl  took  the  letter,  looking  wonderingly 
from  Olga  to  Millar.  He  held  it  an  instant 
in  his  hand  and  was  about  to  open  it,  when 
Olga  cried : 

"Karl,  tear  the  letter  up." 

Karl  instantly  obeyed  her,  tearing  the  en- 
velope into  small  pieces. 


178  The  Devil 

"Now  burn  it,"  Olga  said. 

He  stepped  over  to  the  fireplace  and 
threw  the  bits  of  paper  on  the  glowing  coals. 
They  started  up  in  a  little  flame  and  were 
quickly  reduced  to  ashes. 

Olga  was  terrified  at  the  trick  Millar  had 
played  upon  her  and  at  its  results.  She 
looked  in  fear  from  him  to  Karl. 

"Who  is  this  man?"  she  asked. 

Karl  could  not  answer  her.  The  same 
question  was  echoing  in  his  heart. 

Who  was  this  man,  this  personification  of 
evil?  Ever  there  were  his  insidious  wiles  to 
compromise,  cajole,  trick  and  betray  them. 
He  could  not  tell.  He  only  knew  that  he 
loathed  him  and  that  he  would  drive  him 
out. 

"Are  you  going  now?"  he  demanded,  as 
Millar  stood  looking  at  them  with  his  evil 
smile. 

Millar  took  the  question  in  the  most 
natural  way,  disregarding  the  purposely  of- 
fensive tone  in  which  Karl  spoke. 

"Yes,  I  am;  I  must,"  he  said,  half  regret- 
fully. "My  train  leaves  in  half  an  hour, 
Again  permit  me  to  beg  a  thousand  pardons. 


The  Devil  179 

Could  I  have  foreseen  the  anguish  that  was 
to  follow  my  failure  to  deliver  madam's  let- 
ter, nothing  in  the  world  could  have " 

Karl  interrupted  him  rudely,  determined 
that  he  should  not  heguile  them  again  and 
that  he  should  uot  speak  of  Olga  or  the  let- 
ter as  a  thing  of  importance. 

"You  should  know  that  the  letter  con- 
tained only  a  conventional  message,"  he  said. 

Millar  looked  at  Olga,  and  his  smile  grew 
broad  as  she  hung  her  head  and  blushed. 
Who  should  know  better  than  he  the  con- 
fession which  she  had  written  and  which  was 
now  destroyed  ? 

"It  was  quite  conventional,  I  am  sure," 
he  said  cynically. 

"You  will  miss  your  train,"  Karl  said  with 
studied  insolence.  "Heinrich,  help  the  doc- 
tor on  with  his  coat." 

"A  thousand  thanks,"  the  imperturbable 
Millar  said.  "Madam,  good-by.  And  once 
more  I  beg  a  thousand  pardons." 

Neither  Olga  nor  Karl  spoke  to  him  as 
he  walked  to  the  door,  looked  back  at  them, 
bowed  low  again  and  chuckled  as  the  door 
closed  after  him. 


180  The  Devil 

Olga  turned  quickly  to  Karl  and  held  out 
her  hands. 

"He  is  gone.  I  am  glad.  But,  Karl,  I 
would  have  given  a  year  of  my  life  if  he  had 
delivered  my  letter  to  you." 

"Why?  Tell  me  what  you  wrote,"  he 
asked  eagerly. 

"I  wrote  all  the  things  I  told  you  a  few 
moments  ago,  Karl.    You  know  it  all  now." 

She  went  over  to  the  grate  and  looked 
sadly  into  the  ashes. 

"My  first  love  letter,"  she  said  softly. 
"Oh,  Karl,  it  was  my  confession  of  my  love 
for  you.  I  would  like  to  read  it  over  again 
with  you,  and  then  we  might  forget.  I  don't 
want  to  be  afraid.  I  want  to  be  strong,  to  be 
happy.    If  I  only  had  that  letter  now." 

Karl  took  her  hands  in  his,  and  comfort- 
ed her. 

"Never  mind  it,  Olga;  it  has  served  its 
purpose.  It  has  taught  us  ourselves,  our 
hearts." 

"It  has  taught  us  that  we  must  be  strong, 
brave  and  loyal,"  Olga  declared  warmly. 

They  stood  thus,  looking  into  each  other's 


The  Devil  181 

eyes,  sanely,  clearly,  each  ready  to  renounce. 
The  door  of  the  studio  opened  and  Millar 
stood  before  them  again,  holding  in  his  ex- 
tended hand  a  letter. 

"I  beg  a  thousand  pardons  again,"  he  said„ 
"I  find  I  gave  Karl  an  old  tailor's  bill  instead 
of  madam's  letter." 

Olga  eagerly  took  the  letter,  opened  it  and 
recognized  her  own  handwriting. 

"My  letter,  Karl!"  she  exclaimed. 

Both  bent  close  over  the  letter,  reading  it 
eagerly,  while  Millar  slipped  quietly  out  of 
the  studio — out  of  their  lives.  Olga  looked 
up  from  their  reading. 

"I  am  glad  that  I  wrote  it,  Karl,"  she 
said.    "Now  we  will  burn  it." 

Together  they  watched  it  glow  brightly 
into  flame  and  fall  into  gray  ashes. 

"That  is  our  love  begun  and  ended,  Karl," 
Olga  said  quietly.  "It  was  wrong,  and  now 
we  realize  it,  don't  we  ?  And  now,  dear  boy, 
you  are  coming  with  me." 

"Where?"  Karl  asked. 

"I  am  going  to  take  you  to  Elsa,"  Olga 
answered, 


182  The  Devil 

With  a  feeling  of  elation,  Karl  called 
Helnrich,  and  was  helped  into  his  overcoat. 
He  bent  respectfully  and  kissed  Olga's  hand 
as  they  walked  out  of  the  studio  together. 


^HE  EN© 


THE  MORAL  OF  "THE  DEVIL" 

BY  ELLA  WHEELED  WILCOX 


THE  MORAL  OF  "THE  DEVIL" 

BY  ELLA  WHEELER  WILCOX 

In  every  human  organization  dwell  the 
Twins — the  Angel  and  the  Demon. 

The  Angel  is  the  real  self;  the  enduring, 
immortal  self,  which  goes  on  from  life  to 
life,  from  planet  to  planet,  until  it  has  made 
the  circuit  and  ended  where  it  began — at  the 
Source. 

The  Demon  is  man  made;  it  belongs  to 
the  changing,  perishable  bodies  which  are 
created  anew  with  each  incarnation;  and  it 
goes  down,  and  out,  into  nothingness,  wdth 
the  disintegration  of  the  animal  body. 

But  with  each  new  body,  the  mortal  being 
usually  invents,  or  adopts,  a  new  Devil. 

A  few  great  souls  have  passed  along 
through  earth  without  such  demoniacal  as- 
sociation; Christ,  the  latest  and  greatest  of 
the  Masters,  held  converse  with  the  Devil 

Copyright,  1908,  by  American-Journal-Bxaminer 
185 


186  The  Devil 

once,  on  the  mountain  top,  when  He  was 
tempted;  but  that  was  His  only  acquain- 
tance with  him,  because  He  had  finished  His 
circuit,  and  was  ready  to  become  one  with 
God. 

A  weak  man  or  woman,  with  good  in- 
tentions and  desirous  of  leading  a  moral  life, 
but  lacking  will  power,  and  inclined  to  be 
timid,  and  fearful,  and  negative  in  thought, 
often  adopts  a  Devil  formed  by  some  selfish 
and  licentious  person,  who  fashions  Devils 
by  the  wholesale  and  sends  them  out  to  roam 
over  the  earth,  seekmg  an  open  door  in  a 
weak  mind. 

WHien  such  occurrences  are  analyzed  they 
are  usually  called  hypnotism. 

In  ever}^  liquor  saloon,  in  every  gambling 
den,  in  every  boldly  vicious  and  immoral 
place,  about  every  race  track  and  pool  room, 
Devils  swarm.  And  the  weak,  the  dissipated, 
the  thoughtless  and  the  irresponsible  minds 
are  the  open  doors  for  them  to  mass  through, 
into  dominion  of  the  human  citadel. 

In  many  drawang-rooms  of  fashion,  in 
brilliant  restaurants  and  hotels,  where  the 
elite  congregate;   in   sensuously   decorated 


The  Devil  187 

studios,  Devils  also  wait  day  and  night, 
laiOAving  that  they  will  be  entertained,  if  not 
welcomed,  by  some  of  the  self-indulgent  fre- 
quenters of  these  places. 

Many  are  the  devices  employed  by  the 
Devils  of  earth  to  bring  about  the  desired 
results. 

Drinks,  drugs,  avarice,  money  mania,  jeal- 
ousy, love  of  power,  desire  to  outshine  neigh- 
bors, lust,  sensuality,  gross  appetites,  gour- 
mandism,  love  of  praise,  personal  conceit  and 
egotism,  selfishness  in  every  form — all  these 
are  webs  which  the  Devils  spin  about  human- 
ity. 

Even  beautiful,  romantic  sentiment,  mem- 
ory and  imagination,  become  aids  of  the 
Devil,  at  times,  when  coarser  and  more  com- 
mon methods  fail  in  the  snaring  of  a  refined 
soul. 

Many  a  good  wife,  who  shrinks  with  hor- 
ror at  the  thought  of  a  vulgar  amour,  or 
of  any  act  which  could  pain  or  anger  her 
husband,  has  been  led  into  the  Devil's  net  by 
indulging  in  retrospective  dreams  of  a  van- 
ished romance  and  through  the  stirring  of 
old  ashes  to  see  if  one  little  spark  remained. 


188  The  Devil 

Letter  writing  is  a  favorite  pastime  of 
almost  all  Devils.  Once  they  get  a  romantic 
man  or  woman,  with  a  pen  in  hand  and  an 
unoccupied  chamber  in  the  heart,  and  the 
breed  of  Devils  who  hang  about  the  domestic 
hearth,  hoping  to  find  rooms  to  let,  chuckle 
in  glee. 

Wives  who  have  believed  themselves  hap- 
py and  satisfied,  husbands  who  have  been 
unconscious  of  any  lack  in  their  lives,  have 
fallen  by  the  waj^side  through  an  interesting 
correspondence  with  some  sympathetic  "af- 
finity," who  was  Devil-instructed  to  lead 
them  into  trouble. 

After  a  man  or  woman  falls  into  the 
Devil's  snare  they  both  call  it  Fate,  and  pro- 
claim their  inability  to  combat  the  powerful 
influence  of  "destiny." 

But  destiny  is  man  himself. 

The  Angel  dwells  always  within  him, 
ready  to  say,  "Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan," 
if  the  man  really  wants  it  said. 

The  Angel  and  the  Devil  both  are  com- 
pletely under  man's  control;  the  work  of 
man,  here  in  this  sphere  and  in  every  other, 


The  Devil  189 

is  to  develop  the  character  which  will  enable 
him  to  get  back  to  the  Source. 

Unless  the  man  directs  the  Angel  to  take 
the  ascendancy,  there  would  be  no  growth  in 
wisdom  for  him  were  the  Angel  to  interpose. 
So  he  remains  silent  and  lets  the  Devil  do 
his  work,  in  order  that  man  may  find  out  for 
himself  the  pain  and  folly  of  such  dominion ; 
and  in  order  that  when  he  again  encounters 
the  Devil,  either  in  this  plane  of  existence  or 
some  other,  he  may  be  able  to  say  as  Christ 
said,  "Get  thee  behind  me." 

Always  have  there  been  Devils;  always 
will  there  be  Devils,  while  humanity  is  evolv- 
ing from  the  lower  to  the  higher  states. 

But  always  is  there  the  Angel,  ready  to 
lead  the  soul  to  conquest  and  victory  if  the 
soul  will  call. 


THE  SUCCESS  OF  THE  YEAR. 


FOUNDED  OH     /T-^— 


IM^ISWTI 


SUCCESSFUL  PUV 


Everybody  Talking  About  It. 

GEORGE   BROADHURST'S 

OF  THE  HOUR. 


Thousands  of  people  have  not  had  the 
opportunity  of  seeing  the  play,  and  to 
them,  as  well  as  to  those  who  have  seen  it, 
we  desire  to  announce  that  we  have  just 
published  the  Story  of  George  Broad- 
hurst's  Play  in  book  form.  There  is  ah-eady  an  enormous  de- 
mand for  this  book,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  play  is  meeting 
with  such  a  tremendous  success,  it  now  being  presented  for 
the  600th  consecutive  time  in  New  York,  and  four  companies 
presenting  it  on  tour  throughout  the  United  States. 

It  is  a  strong  story  of  politics,  love,  and  graft,  and  appeals 
powerfully  to  every  true  American. 

The  play  has  received  the  highest  praise  and  commendation 
rom  critics  and  the  press,  a  few  of  which  we  give  herewith  : 

"  THE   FINEST   PLAY  I  EVER   SA^Wr."~President  Roosevelt. 

Phe  best  in  years."— N'.V. Telegram.       "  A  perfect  success."— iV.  r.  Sun. 


A.  triumph."— iV.  Y.  American. 
"  A  sensation."— iV^.  T.  Herald. 
"Astraiglitliit."— iV.  T.  World. 
*' Means  somettiing."- iV.F.  Tribune. 


"  Best  play  yet."— iV^.  T.  Commercial. 
"  An  apt  appeal." — N.  T.  Globe. 
"  A  play  worth  while."— iV.  Y.  Neiof 
"An  object  lesson." — N.  Y.  Post, 


The  BOOK  has  been  issued  under  the  title  of 

THE  NEW  MAYOR, 

Founded  Upon  GEORGE  BROADHURST'S  Play 

THE  HAN  OF  THE  HOUR, 

in  order  not  to  conflict  with  a  book  with  a  similar  title  by 

Octave  Thanet. 

It  contains  230  pages,  well  printed  on  best  quality  book  paper, 
large  clear  type,  with  twelve  half-tone  illustrations  from  the 
play.  Price,  handsomely  bound  in  cloth,  50  cents  net,  postage 
9  cents  additional.     Paper  bound,  25  cents  postpaid. 

It  is  for  sale  by  all  booksellers  and  newsdealers  everywhere, 
or  it  will  be  sent  by  mail,  upon  receipt  of  price  in  stamps  or 
silver.     Address 

J.  S.  OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
P.  0.  Box  767.  57  ROSE  STREET,  NEW  YORK 


THE  HOUSE  BY  THE  RIVER. 

By    FLORENCE    WARDEN. 


THE  HOUSE 
IVTHERIVER 


FLORENCE  WARDEN 


The  name  and  fame  of  Miss 
Warden  as  an  author  is  world- 
wide, and  there  are  millions  of 
people  who  remember  with  pleas- 
ure her  absorbing  story  entitled 
tev)  iiii//         /jf-^iTv.  ''The  House  on  the  Marsh,"  over 

P*  I    lt^"^<=^^^^       ^^^^  ^  million    copies    of  which 
It    fill  iif^?:^;'j2*£^^'^^i      were  sold.   The  House  hy  the 

Hiver  is  an  interesting,  exciting 
and  absorbing  story  of  mystery 
and  romance,  in  which  the  hero- 
ine is  the  indirect  means  of  bring- 
^  |||[  ing  to  justice  a  clique  of  gentle- 

^-^' '     manly  criminals.      It  is  written 

with  great  clearness  and  lucidity,  and  holds  the  reader's 
interest  to  the  end,  where  a  remarkable  surprise  occurs. 

WHAT  THE  REVIEWERS  SAY  OF  IT. 

"  Florence  Warden  is  the  Anna  Katharine  Greene  of  England., 
She  apparently  lias  the  same  marvelous  capacity  as  Mrs.  Rohlfs 
for  concocting  the  most  complicated  plots  and  most  mystifying 
mysteries,  and  serving  them  up  hot  to  her  readers. " — N.  V.  Globe. 

"The  author  has  a  knack  of  intricate  plot- work  which  will 
keep  an  intelligent  reader  at  /ler  bocks,  when  he  would  become 
tired  over  far  better  novels  not  so  strongly  peppered.  For  even 
the  '  wisest  men '  now  and  then  relish  not  only  a  little  non- 
sense, but  as  well  do  they  enjoy  a  thrilling  story  of  mystery. 
And  this  is  one — a  dark,  deep,  awesome,  compelling  if  not  con- 
vincing tale." — Sacramento  Bee. 

"The  interest  of  the  story  is  deep  and  intense,  and  many 
guesses  might  be  made  of  the  outcome,  as  one  reads  along,  with- 
out hitting  on  the  right  one." — Salt  Lake  Tridutie. 

SPECIAL  OFFER.— This  book  is  printed  on  best  quality 
laid  book  paper,  and  is  handsomely  bound  in  green  vel- 
lum cloth,  stamped  in  three  colors.  The  regular  price  is 
$1.00,  but  to  the  reader  of  this  advertisement  we  offer  to 
send  it  by  mail,  postpaid,  upon  receipt  of  only  65  cents. 
Price  in  paper  covers  by  mail,  postpaid,  35  cents. 

Addreas  all  orders  to 

J.  S   OGILVIE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY, 
P.  0.  Box  767.  57  EOSE  STREET,  NEW  YOUK. 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA    001  313  986    o 


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